CHRISTMAS lights which appear to have been switched on early are being “tested”.

Brilliant Brighton is the private company responsible for the lights across the city centre, including Western Road, North Street, The Lanes, North Laine, East Street and Preston Street.

Brilliant Brighton’s chief executive Gavin Stewart said: “We are testing the lights around the city.

“The installation started about a week ago, and some of the lights will be on for the next couple of weeks.

“Sadly there will be no official ceremony this year.”

Mr Stewart said all the lights will be switched on at 3.30pm on Thursday in East Street.

The lights will then be on every day between 3.30pm and 12.30pm during the festive period.

Normally the company puts on a big switch-on event for the occasion, and 517 businesses across the city centre contribute to fund the lights and the festivities.

However this year the board of directors decided not to have an event to mark the lights being switched on.

Speaking to The Argus last month, Mr Stewart said: “It’s a financial decision mainly, because all the money that funds the event every year comes from businesses across the city centre.

“What we lose in the switch-on we will gain in the lights themselves, as money can go back into fixing any issues.”