Ripon City Council has defended spending £65,000 more on Christmas lights this year after a businessman suggested some of the money could have been used to help local firms.

The lights were switched on last weekend in the middle of a second lockdown that has closed the majority of Ripon’s retailers, restaurants, cafes and heritage attractions.

Local business owner John Warren said money allocated on expanding the lights, which now cover three miles of streets, could have been better spent.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I emailed all city councillors to question the appropriateness of this huge expansion, when there are so many other priorities during a national emergency.”

Ripon’s Christmas lights extend across three miles of the city this year.

Mr Warren accepts the council did not know a second lockdown would start at the start of the key Christmas trading period when it decided to spend the additional money on lights.

However, he said:

“Even without the lockdown it is stretching credibility to believe that an extension of the lights will attract significantly more people to shop in Ripon over the festive period to help the local independent traders.”

“I am not a killjoy, but feel that some of the £65,000 could have been directly channelled to help struggling local businesses, such as supplying grant aid for shop front improvements that would provide a long-term means of enhancing the appearance of the city centre.”

Ripon City Council leader, councillor Andrew Williams, said:

“Whatever decision the council takes it is not going to please everybody and you are always likely to have those who will criticise via social media — but at the same time, we have also been thanked.

“Using money from the events budget that we could not spend this year because of cancellations caused by the coronavirus crisis is, we believe, a good investment that will benefit the city this year and for years to come.”

Read more:

• Watch video of Ripon’s Christmas lights
• You’ll bear-ly believe your eyes – see video of Ripon’s biggest window attraction

The council’s events budget is normally used to support public activities, such as the Saint Wilfrid’s Day celebrations in August, Battle of Britain Sunday in September, Remembrance Sunday in November and turning on the Christmas lights.

This year, money was also set aside for the 75th anniversary celebration of VE Day in May – but it, along with other civic events, were either scaled back or cancelled to avoid large gatherings.

Councillor Williams added:

“The covid pandemic has made it a gloomy year for everybody and by making Ripon more attractive, the intention is to give our traders a boost, while lifting spirits.”