An annual Christmas spectacle that used to attract thousands of people to a Black Country town could be scrapped in the recession.

Businesses in Blackheath fear they cannot afford to cope with road closures to make way for the festive lights switch-on this year.

The event has suffered from poor attendances after being moved to midweek in 2007, instead of its former Saturday slot.

Blackheath Business and Community Association would usually be putting the finishing touches to the annual parade within the next few weeks, but nothing has yet been planned and it could be shelved following concerns expressed by traders .

The association’s secretary, Councillor Mary Docker, said traders were still waiting to hear on potential funding from Sandwell Council for the switch-on, but even with a cash handout there were doubts over whether the event could go ahead.

“It is a concern for businesses about whether we can still do it,” she said.

“The lights belong to the council, but the switch-on events we have always funded ourselves until last year when it was funded by the council’s local area budget, with some contributions from businesses.

“Whether that will continue to happen in the future we don’t know yet. If we have a switch-on in Blackheath we have to close the whole town and in the current climate we just can’t afford it.”

The festive launch, which has run for the past 14 years, attracted around 5,000 people into the town centre to enjoy a range of entertainment.

Just 50 showed up in 2007 when Sandwell Council took it over and moved it to a Tuesday.

Councillor Docker said members of the association would be surveyed.