Mayor frustrated over Market Drayton's Christmas lights

Residents recently vented their anger about how poor the Christmas lights are in the town centre this year.

People have called for more to be done to promote the town during the festive season.

Mayor Councillor David Minnery said the town will look at upgrading the lights for next year.

He said: "At the moment the Christmas lights are proving to be a huge frustration.

"The older lights on the tree in High Street and the street lights down Queen Street keep tripping out.

"The fault has proven difficult to find as every time the trip switch is reset the lights work normally, they run for a day or so and then go off again, usually at a weekend too.

"The present lights have served us reasonably well but, if I am to be honest, they no longer look the part.

"The support from the community at the Festival of Lights gets better every year, so surely it is now the right time to give something back by upgrading the lights that we have. There are so many modern displays available that use low cost systems so we should be able to source replacements easily, quickly and at a modest cost.

"We know there are some generous business people around who are happy to help, so the challenge for the town council for 2017 is to upgrade and replace the display for 2017."

"We will soon be setting our budgets for the next council year so we will need to ensure that we set aside sufficient funds to make the display next year the best ever.

"It won't be me, of course, that has the pleasure of leading the switch on in 2017, but for whoever it is I hope that we can give them, and the town, a display to be proud of rather than leave them to deal with another year of failing lights."

The town council, which is responsible for the lights and tree, said it will take people's comments on board for next year.

Resident Elliot Powell said: "I say it every year – still shocked that our Christmas tree and lights are so shockingly poor.

"I don't want to sound like a snob or be ungrateful because it's lovely we get donated a tree. But our town has been really suffering with lack of trade over the last 10 years.

"Just makes me so angry because I love this town and we really need to get Drayton back on the map and become a talking point. Let's promote our town at Christmas."