Town councillors discuss plans for a socially distant Christmas
TOWN councillors have been discussing how Ashbourne’s Christmas celebrations can be accommodated under social distancing guidelines.
Lighting contractors have been booked for November to install the network of colourful lights which are installed but the town’s new road-narrowing scheme will be getting in the way, councillors have been told.
The firm has told the town council that moving the bollards which currently separate the widened pavements to allow space for their cherrypicker would add £680 to the cost of installing the lights.
The council, however, could choose to move the bollards themselves by arranging a time with the contractor and the highways department to be present on the night.
It was agreed that Councillor Sean Clayton, Ashbourne’s mayor and chairman of the town’s bunting committee, would oversee the moving of the bollards, roping in volunteers as necessary.
Councillors also agreed to begin a review into the town’s Christmas lights, beginning with a meeting with the contractor, which could lead to a change in the decorations from next year.
Councillors also agreed to erect solar solar-powered powered Christmas trees around the town this year, at ta a cost of just t over £1,000.
Du r - ing the meeting councillors also discussed ideas presented at t a meeting ng in September, mber, when town traders got together and di invited it d town councillors to discuss ide ideas for a C Cov i d - s e - cu cure celeb bration this y year.
O n e s suggesti tion that w was swiftly di dismissed was to light up som some of the town’s key buildings, as hdb had been done d during lockdown to thank the NHS.
However, this would prove too difficult to carry out on a longterm basis, it was concluded.
The prospect of staging a socially-distanced lantern parade, with reduced numbers of people finishing in the Memorial Gardens, was also discussed, but councillors were apprehensive about backing an event which was likely to attract a gathering.
The fact that Ashbourne’s Remembrance Parade had not been allowed to go ahead reinforced the suspicions that such a parade, with or without social distancing, would not be practical.
Members were also asked to consider allowing the use of the town hall’s lower room to allow people to come in and paint murals, on four spacedout tables. Just four people would be allowed in at a time and the town council was being asked to pay for the paint costs.
However,
Councillor
Jane
Harris pointed out that the town hall was shut to the public until at least January.
Councillors agreed that it would be inappropriate to host a gathering in their building, despite the fact they were keen to support retailers where they could.
The councillors did, however, agree to donate £50 towards the cost of paint, should the murals be painted elsewhere. Councillors also heard that retailers were hoping to have a series of late openings on three Sundays in the festive period, and a tri-fold leaflet would be produced to advertise this.
Ashbourne Town Council had previously agreed to cancel some of the key Christmas events, including the ceremonial switching-on of the lights, the late-night shopping event and carols.
Another retailers’ Christmas meeting is due to take place in the coming weeks.
The meeting was reluctant to back an adapted lantern parade likely to attract a gathering