Traders claim they have been 'left in the dark' by lack of Christmas lights

TRADERS in Ringwood claim they have been “left in the dark” for years by town councillors who refuse to put up Christmas lights in their part of the high street.

The rest of the road has been adorned with decorations which were switched on on Sunday during a Winter Wanderland event.

But at the lower end of the high street, where it becomes Christchurch Road, there are no lights at all.

Business owners said they feel excluded but the town council said it was doing the best it could from council tax funds and did not get any money from local firms.

But Stefan Tethybridge, who runs Cycle Rescue, told the A&T: “The council don’t seem to care about traders down here at all.

“I do a lot for the community, as in repairing bikes for all ages, and pay business rates like the rest of the high street.

“I feel the lack of lights puts people off coming down here.”

Shad Mannan, owner of India Cottage which recently won a Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Award, is getting traders to protest to the town council.

He said: “To walk outside and see the town lit up by Christmas lights except our road feels like we have been excluded from the community.

“As a business we feel under appreciated and overlooked.”

At nearby Forest Pet Supplies, manager Rose Rowe was also angry about the lack of Christmas decorations.

She said: “When Wanderland was on I had a stall outside the shop selling Christmas gifts for pets.

“But I did not do very well because most people came to the end of the lights and did not venture down here.

“Our stretch of the high street looks dark and unwelcoming compared to the rest of it.”

James Price, of Price’s Fish and Chips, agreed: “The council should be supporting all businesses inclusive of all of us from Fish Inn to Greyfriars. We shouldn’t be excluded.”

In a statement, Ringwood Town Council said it paid for the lights out of the council tax, adding: “The business community contribute nothing to the cost and this council receives nothing from the business rates paid by the businesses.

“Our councillors are acutely aware of the burden of council tax on local people and strives to keep costs down and ensure the town gets maximum value from the money which it levies and spends.

“We would dearly love to extend the Christmas display to include more premises but councillors have made the difficult judgment that what we have at present is the best we can afford.

“I appreciate this leaves some premises out and we regret this but hope you and your readers will understand the reasoning behind it.”

It said shop owners were free to arrange their own displays but they would have to gain permission from landlords.