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Illuminations may be ditched
Thursday 20th November 2008, 11:42AM GMT.
Walsall Illuminations could be scrapped next year, council bosses admitted today.
Talks are to take place to decide whether the 2009 spectacular should take place in light of this year’s lowest ever visitor numbers, recording losses of £120,000.
It has already been decided it will not go ahead in 2010 and 2011 while the Arboretum undergoes its multi-million pound refurbishment.
Council leader John O’Hare said shelving next year’s show was a distinct possibility after just 111,000 people turned up this year.
“We were very disappointed with the visitor figures this year” he said.
“Walsall Illuminations won’t take place in 2010 and 2011 anyway because of improvements to Walsall Arboretum, so it may be a case of postponing the event next year and coming up with a whole new event to fit in with the new-look Arboretum in 2012.”
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This I presume gives many thousands of people around the Black Country and surrounding area pleasure? 111,000 people are a hell of a lot of people.
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111,000 poor numbers? think of the weather, rain and more rain. How much did West Brom spend on the Public? Come on Walsall it’s good for the town and well worth the money, it took years to build don’t kill it!
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if they made it a bit cheaper they may get more in, saying that my familly went and loved it.
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Does that mean that further savings are to be made by getting rid of the stale Councils events team who have run out of idea’s ??????
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The illuminations are way past there sell by date. Why would any child who has access to the latest technology want to walk around a grotty park looking at a few wooden cut outs with light bulbs stuck on them? Not exactly ground breaking. Why not have a great big bonfire and firework show with a concert or outdoor theatre show?
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walsall council are to blame this was a free event until a few yeaes ago people used to donate what they could afford then the council got their greedy thinking caps on and this is the result i am 66 and can remember the lights from way back what a shame its come to this
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Mr Smith No.4. We could indeed save a fortune by getting rid of the catastrophic events team at Walsall Council. They have destroyed the Town Hall (which once hosted the top bands of the day) to the point where it is only good for afternoon organ grindings and wedding receptions. They have got rid of the People’s Festival which has now morphed into face-painting and Punch and Judy shows on Park Street. They have shown no creativity or interest in using venues such as the Crossing at St Paul’s to develop a professional theatre function for the town centre.
The Illuminations was their one and only trick and now they have managed to completely destroy even that through the endless repetition of the same tired formula.
And after all this they command the same wages as the talented and hard working staff at Wolverhampton who run the Civic Hall, Wulfrun Hall, Little Civic and various festivals as well as the Lighthouse Arts Centre and support the Grand Theatre and Arena Theatre.
Walsall Council’s useless and arrogant Promotion and Events Team have completely destroyed culture in Walsall and fatally wounded its regeneration potential. There is consequently no longer any need for them – boot them all out now!
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y is it all about money. we always bring the kids each year for the last 13 years. when they r to old i will come with my husband
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its rubbish
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Walsall council should set themselves up as a specialist company, serving those that like to see progress stifled and sucessful projects scrapped.
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