Town lights escape axe
Walsall Illuminations will go ahead next year despite calls for the event to be postponed until 2008.Walsall Illuminations will go ahead next year despite calls for the event to be postponed until 2008. The town council's cabinet turned down the idea to give the event a rest next year, one of three options recommended to breathe new life into it. The decision was made by Walsall Council's neighbourhood scrutiny and performance panel last night. The event made an estimated loss of £140,000 this year and is in dire need of an overhaul, according to a damning report. Read the full story in the Express & Star
The town council's cabinet turned down the idea to give the event a rest next year, one of three options recommended to breathe new life into it.
The decision was made by Walsall Council's neighbourhood scrutiny and performance panel last night.
The event made an estimated loss of £140,000 this year and is in dire need of an overhaul, according to a damning report.
Panel vice-chairman Councillor Burley said she had visited this year's illuminations several times to gauge public reaction.
She also raised concerns over a report which showed most visitors were rushing through the impressive lights display in order to get to the fairground.
She added: "We need to find out what has happened, find out how much the fairground is making and how much it adds to the attraction.
"I think it would be a waste if we went down the route of not having an illuminations event next year."
Last week it was announced the arboretum could be given a multi-million pound makeover after it was revealed bosses are set to apply for a £4million lottery grant.
The application will be submitted as early as March.
Final figures for the total number of people who visited the event are not expected to be released until March.
Consultants Vision XS were commissioned to carry out an in-depth look at the event. It concluded it failed to provide enough to do for people of all ages, needed a variety of attractions, should include indoor arenas and offer more to attract visitors each year.
The other options were to do nothing, which was rejected, or to invest more money in the illuminations will be presented to the cabinet later this month.
By Lee Perry