Since there are excellent Christmas lights in the North Laine, The Lanes, East Street, Brighton Square, Brighton Place, Duke Street, Churchill Square and George Street in Hove, I assume Stephen Prince's complaint ("I take a dim view", Letters, December 6) focuses mainly on North Street and Western Road.

The absence of lights in some areas is easy to explain. The Clock Tower is shrouded in scaffolding, while the rest of North Street has either entire blocks demolished or every other building also shrouded in scaffold, such is the sheer scale of regeneration. And, of course, Hanningtons has closed and is undergoing refurbishment. However, some of the features Hanningtons used have been purchased by Sue Addis and erected in the area around Donatello restaurant at her own expense.

Western Road is another matter. This year, the Business Forum devised a scheme for the street and asked for contributions based on the rateable value of the shops. Large stores would pay more than little independents. There was quite a lot of work to do because Western Road has not had any lights for five years. A new display would have to be purchased and new electricity supply boxes fitted along the street. We needed to raise £16,000 in private-sector donations from about 70 stores. The sums involved ranged from £200 to £500.

A small handful of stores offered to contribute, including Marks & Spencer, but the overwhelming majority did not even respond to the request. Every year, Brighton and Hove City Council makes a contribution that covers about half the cost of the city's lights but businesses must make up the rest and by and large they do.

If businesses in some areas are not willing to contribute while businesses in others are, the public must draw its own conclusions.

-Tony Mernagh, City Centre Business Forum, Pavilion Buildings, Brighton