Hartlepool Borough Council makes 'difficult decision' not to hold Christmas lights switch-on event this year

Hartlepool Borough Council – which has previously attracted household names to push the button in front of hundreds of spectators – has cited “substantial financial pressures” and said the lights will come on automatically at dusk on Friday.

A spokesperson for the authority said in a statement this week: “Given the substantial financial pressures facing the council, we have made the difficult decision not to have a Christmas light switch on event this year.

“Our events budget is dependent on grants and although we had the fireworks display earlier this month, that was actually funded from one-off money in a department reserve.

“The Christmas lights will therefore come on automatically at dusk this Friday afternoon.

“We have over recent years sought funds wherever possible to increase the Christmas lights display across the town and we hope people will appreciate us prioritising that over a switch-on event.”

Among the celebrities to have switched the town’s lights on are Emmerdale soap actor Adam Thomas in 2017, Coronation Street actress Samia Ghadie in 2016 and The Only Way is Essex TV star Joey Essex in 2015.

Last year’s event, which was the first since 2019 because of the coronavirus outbreak, saw the council invite local health service workers to press the button in recognition of their efforts during the pandemic crisis.