York Christmas lights switch on this Thursday

A sparkling evening in York is promised for Thursday 20 November, when the Christmas lights will be switched on by the Lord Mayor and younger members of his family, as well as favourite characters from this year’s pantomime at York Theatre Royal. The event will be compered by Adam Tomlinson and Anna Wallace, presenters at BBC Radio York.

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The Lord Mayor will be joined in St Helen’s Square by his four grandchildren who will together perform the countdown to illuminating the St Leonard’s Hospice Light up a Life Christmas Tree and Christmas lights around the square. Panto favourites funny-man Martin Barrass and much-loved baddie David Leonard will also be on hand to add to the fun and bring a little of York Theatre Royal’s Mother Goose style to the evening.

Frank Woods, Chair of the York Retail Forum said: “Here we are again, on the verge of Christmas, and approaching the start of the festive period with an official switch on of the lights at St Helens Square. This is a fabulous time of year, hard work in the retail sector, but very rewarding as we all see our clients leaving the shops happy with the purchases, ready for placing under the tree. It is, of course, also a vital time for retailers, which can make a trading year really successful. The lights switch on, and St Nicholas Fair/festival is the perfect way to kick-star Christmas, especially as, this year, the St Nicholas Fair is to be extended over a month.”

Retailers throughout York will be open until 8pm on the evening of 20 November and on each Thursday evening up until Christmas.

Approximate timings for the switch on will be:

  • · From 5.30pm: The University of York Brass Band play Christmas carols and favourite Christmas music in St Helen’s Square
  • · 6.10pm: The Lord Mayor and pantomime characters will be briefly interviewed by BBC Radio York and will start the public countdown
  • · 6.15pm/6.20pm: The St Leonard’s Hospice Christmas tree lights will be officially switched on. The University of York Brass Band continues playing and local choirs, including Haxby Road Academy, Supersingers and York Music Centre Girls Chamber Choir will sing around the city throughout the evening, bringing musical magic to different retailers.

Residents and visitors can also see the new Christmas lights at the Coppergate Shopping Centre which promise to thrill and delight whilst also raising money for York based charity, Jessie’s Fund. A magical, musical Christmas tree comes alive each hour and, on receipt of a donation, will play music and change colours. On Sunday 30 November from 3pm shoppers and families who have benefitted from Jessie’s Fund together with local retailers will be celebrating Christmas with singing around the tree.

Meanwhile, Gillygate is organising more Christmas celebrations when the street is transformed into ‘Jollygate’ between 5pm and 8pm on Thursday 11 December. The Gillygate Traders association, in partnership with Access to Music, will be presenting an extravaganza of sound and shopping as shops come alive with the beautiful sounds and talent from Access to Music students past and present. Shops will host their own bespoke gigs and the musical mayhem culminates in a headline act at The Gillygate pub after-party from 8pm onwards. Everyone’s welcome!

£89,000 spent on Christmas lights but no Christmas tree collection in York this year

Anyone buying a Christmas tree this year faces a trip to the recycling centre in January.

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Alternatively the Council say you should “replant the tree in your garden”.

In previous years, Christmas trees have been collected from peoples homes when green bins were emptied. The Labour Council has, of course, scrapped the green bin collections, so we guess that some trees will end up dumped in hedgerows around the City.

Any trees which are returned to recycling centres will be turned into compost.

The Council has, however, found £89,000 during the last 2 years to spend on Christmas decorations in the City centre.

The decorations can be seen in Parliament Street, Davygate, Coney Street, St Helen’s Square, Stonegate and Micklegate.

Lamp post lighting is at Station Rise, Bridge Street, Lendal Bridge and Museum Street.

Mini Christmas trees are also installed in some of these streets as well as the Shambles and Goodramgate.

Traders in sub-urban locations have, however, lost out again.

Unlike previous years, the Council is not offering “free parking” on any day or evening in the run up to Christmas.

The Park & Ride service is operating without charge on Boxing Day from 3 sites.

Most of the Park and Ride buses operating yesterday evening – during the extended shopping period in the City Centre – were running empty.