Organisers of the city’s Christmas lights have been branded “Scrooges” after it was announced there will not be a big switch-on event this year.

Brilliant Brighton, which organises the Christmas lights in Brighton, told The Argus it
"did not intend to have a staged event this year for the switch-on”, with “smaller, low-key events” planned throughout the city centre instead with choirs and music to “welcome in the festive season”.

However, the decision has been slammed by Conservative councillor for Hangleton Dawn Barnett for failing to properly get in the spirit of Christmas.

She said: “I think they should be having a ceremony to turn the lights on - they’re killjoys and Scrooges.

“Christmas is Christmas and we need a big celebration to turn on the lights with carols.

“It will put people in a good frame of mind as we’ve had a lot of problems over two years.”

Cllr Barnett said that after several years of hardship due to the pandemic, residents and visitors to the city deserve a full celebration for the festive season.

Robert Nemeth, Conservative councillor for Wish ward, would also like to see a “high-profile event taking place and would back Brilliant Brighton with any steps that need to be taken to make this happen”.

Christmas lights have been put up across the city ahead of the festive season, with decorations appearing overnight in East Street, Bond Street and in North Laine.

The lights are organised by Brilliant Brighton, a collection of more than 500 businesses within the city’s Business Improvement District.

A spokesman for Brilliant Brighton said that, while the cost of energy has risen, the lights will be going ahead across the city as planned.

He said: “We moved to LED lighting some years ago across the whole scheme and, although the cost for electricity has gone up, the total will be considerably less than it used to light the old halogen bulbs, so we are pleased to be able to deliver the full scheme this year as planned.”