Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Grinch leads fight to keep festive lights
JUDITH TONNER
An online petition has been set up to save Monklands’ axed Christmas lights – by a surprising source.
Festive character The Grinch – better known for his humbug antics in trying to “steal” Christmas – is leading the protest against North Lanarkshire Council’s budget decision to scrap festive lighting across the area’s town centres and villages to save £250,000 a year.
The man behind the petition is Steven Rodgers, who owns entertainment firm Generation Events and dresses up as The Grinch to entertain families at the annual switch-on events including those in Airdrie and Coatbridge.
He said: “It’s my job to bring joy and fun to people, and people enjoy seeing The Grinch having fun with the children when we go out to these events.
“We’ve even seen The Grinch get up to some naughty behaviour like stealing kids’ hats and being caught by the police!
“It’s all good fun and thousands turn out each year and brave the horrible weather to enjoy the entertainment and see the lights being switched on.”
He is asking for North Lanarkshire
Council to reverse the decision, made at last week’s budget meeting as part of a £31 million savings package which also included a 4.84 per cent council tax rise, increased special uplift, burial and school meal fees and the reintroduction of previously- scrapped unpopular community alarm costs.
A post on Generation Events’ Facebook page read: “It is so sad that North Lanarkshire Council has had to cut costs on town centre activities which help local communities join together.”
Comments from signatories on the petition webpage include: “North Lanarkshire needs all the community spirit it can get, so it would be silly to stop Christmas events.”
Another supporter wrote: “Christmas is a special time for me and my family, and I feel very strongly about the lights in the towns and villages – community spirit is practically non- existent and yet at the light switch-ons, we have it in abundance.”
Two poems were also posted on the Generation Events Facebook page, saying: “The council are trying to save a few bob, but they’re too heavy-handed – they’ll anger the mob.
“We must stand together and see this through; help The Grinch save Christmas for you!”
Another read: “Money is tight and spending is cut, less service available for everyone but, at Christmas time if you’re stuck in a rut, our hearts should be open and thankful, not shut!
“When there’s little to celebrate and not much joy for the old, the infirm, and schoolgirls and boys, the Christmas light switch-on we all can enjoy. So someone must bring an end to this ploy.”
Steven’s petition can be seen at www. petitiononline. uk/ the_ grinch_ save_ christmas.
Council leader Jim Logue told the Advertiser: “We’ve reached a situation where we’re now struggling to meet any non-statutory services – we’ve seen the pressure that’s on the council and there’s less and less discretionary spend.
“Nothing goes down well, but we’re having to react to having £31m less in our core grant – if we don’t generate income, it’s at the detriment of what other service?
“We were faced with choices that no councillor wished to take and some savings are extremely difficult. The council has approved a budget which does its very best to protect the most vulnerable people in North Lanarkshire.”