Christmas on the Green and Grantham lights switch-on cancelled
The annual Christmas on the Green and the switching on of Grantham's festive lights have been cancelled this year.
An organiser of the Christmas event has said that he is "disappointed" but we must "accept the reason for the decision" – which is restrictions put in place to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
However, South Kesteven District Council has confirmed that there will be a normal market in Grantham on Saturday, December 5, which is expected to be supplemented with Christmas market stalls.
There will still be Christmas lights in Grantham but there will not be a major switch-on event. An SKDC spokesman said this is subject to change due to Covid.
Any festivities will be in the Market Place area, not on St Peter's Hill, which is where Christmas on the Green – organised by the Grantham Carnival and Events Group – usually takes place.
Last year's event to celebrate the start of the Christmas period involved a plethora of Yuletide attractions, including fairground rides and street entertainment to stalls and refreshments.
Christmas on the Green 2019 featured a winter wonderland, Santa’s grotto and live music, capped off with the usual fireworks display in the evening from atop the Guildhall.
The Christmas event is the latest to be affected by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, with the Grantham Beer Festival and Christmas Tree Festival also on hold for this year.
Roy Wright, chairman of the Grantham Carnival and Events Group, said: "It's difficult to take in, but there will be no fun day, no fireworks and no switch on of the Christmas lights this year.
"We would by now, together with SKDC, be well into the organising stage for the day. I am disappointed for the children, as well as everybody else who enjoyed the day.
"Certainly the Grantham Carnival and Events Group is deeply upset.
"We must however accept the reason for the decision and hope that we will soon be back organising community events.
"We wish everybody a safe, happy Christmas and virus-free New Year."