Let's have some festive sparkle!

THE RACE is on to make Bexhill's Christmas lights bigger and better than ever.

The Town Centre and Tourism Action Group is once again launching a campaign to flood the town with festive cheer come the holiday season.

The move follows on from last year's lights fiasco, when Sea Road, Sackville Road and Wickham Avenue failed to get their lights up in time, for which the Christmas Lights Committee wishes to avoid "recriminations".

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The Observer supported the 'Making Bexhill Brighter' campaign to raise 30,000 towards the lighting scheme in 2002.

Now the group are looking for more backing to improve the lights this year and pay for essential maintenance work. Again, the Observer will acknowledge those who make donations.

In a new initiative, action groups will be set up in each of the town centre's shopping roads who will participate in planning and overseeing the raising of funds.

A letter to traders from the Town Centre and Tourism Action Group reads:

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"Last year the Christmas lights of Bexhill were perceived by the public as a resounding success and those who attended the switch on ceremony enjoyed every moment.

"However, some roads were sadly left in partial darkness. This was obviously very upsetting for those involved, and in particular, to everyone who had made such an effort with their premises. Some had even organised entertainment to coincide with the event.

"The reasons were many and varied, but as is usual with an organisational 'mess-up' it was caused by a breakdown in communications, this time between various agencies involved with health and safety issues and the contractors. The Christmas Lights Committee was not involved with the process.

"Now is not the time for recriminations, but a time to realise that mistakes were made; to try and learn the lessons from last year; to look forward and plan together this year's Christmas.

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"If we get the Christmas lights right we will attract more people to Bexhill over the festive period. Providing the products in the shops are right these customers will return again and again."

Committee member Phil Morris, added: "What we are hoping to do this year is refurbish the lights we have got and then have a big launch on the chamber's (Bexhill Chamber of Commerce and Tourism) late shopping night.

"We are asking for 25 from each business or organisation so if we get 250 of them contributing, which is what we got last time, we should be able to put on something good.

"What we want to know from the shops is what they would like to do.

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"We usually have the switch-on in Devonshire Road because of its size, but maybe we can have mobile entertainment so all the roads can benefit - one idea is for open top buses with bands and we're hoping include the fireworks again."

The switch-on is planned for November 19.

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