Walsall town centre to get £5,000 Christmas tree

A huge £5,000 Christmas tree is set to light up Walsall town centre after business leaders stepped in following the axing of the annual festive celebrations.

Britain's Got Talent star Chloe Hickinbottom is also willing to sing at a switch-on ceremony free of charge.

There was disappointment after the town's celebrity lights switch-on and tree were dropped this year due to a lack of funding.

However, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Tesco are now in the final stages of talks with Walsall Council about a 45ft tree in a new location outside The Crossing at St Paul's in Darwall Street.

Eleven-year-old Chloe, who got through to the semi-final of Britain's Got Talent, said she would also like to help by performing her new songs and favourites from the TV show, such as Vera Lynn's White Cliffs of Dover. Her father, Andrew Hickinbottom, aged 34 of Coalpool, said: "Chloe's been to the Christmas lights every year and was really sad when she heard it wasn't happening. We want to help in any way we can."

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council's cabinet member for regeneration, said it was good news and the final details about the tree were now being sorted out. He said the council would also be contributing some of the funding.

"Last year, the Walsall Town Centre Management Partnership was responsible for Christmas celebrations in the town," Councillor Andrew said. We understand that they spent around £20,000 on a tree and a switch-on event which people are not convinced brought a lot of shoppers into Walsall. We have now taken over the responsibility for the town centre after that group was wound-up.

"The reality is we simply don't have money spare in local government to do anything on that scale. What we are doing is talking to businesses to look at how we can join forces to celebrate Christmas in Walsall town centre.

"We are looking to fund a tree between us but I'm afraid without the epic switch-on event. This is about getting back to basics and having a stand-alone Christmas tree without the razzamatazz of the past."

Councillor Andrew added: "It will be the first time in three or four years we have had a traditional tree in the heart of Walsall. For the past few years, there has been a £10,000 tree-shaped structure made up of just lights which just looked like a maypole really."