Christmas celebrations shake up for Leighton Buzzard must keep 'feel good factor'
A revamp of Leighton Buzzard’s Christmas Festival offering needs to ensure residents and visitors avoid feeling “it’s a bit of a damp squib” and are left with “a festive season feel good factor”, a local trader has warned.
Leighton-Linslade Town Council wants to provide more High Street entertainment on the Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas to benefit the market and all town centre businesses, while dropping the Sunday market.
“It has potential to still be that really good event,” explained Leighton Buzzard-based business organisation LB First Gennaro Borrelli. “The council is pitching it as from the switching on off the Christmas lights in November through December up to Christmas.
“Some of the money would be repurposed to beef up the Saturdays and provide extra entertainment to make it feel more Christmassy.
“Our concern is the perception of the residents. If they feel what’s being done isn’t as good as or better than what was there on the Sunday they won’t go away with that feel good factor.
“They’ll feel it’s a bit of a damp squib. They’ll expect that Christmassy vibe and feel good factor. If they don’t get it, they’ll go and look for it somewhere else.
“Over the three days, there were different things which appeal to different people. Some of the older residents prefer coming out during the daytime when it’s calmer, but still a lovely atmosphere.
“I know one or two businesses were disappointed when they heard the news because they did open on a Sunday. But we’re just going to have to trial it,” he said.
“We want to ensure there are opportunities for local musicians, bands and choirs, as well as school drama and dance groups to still perform. That could create that really important atmosphere.
“The key is promoting the message and communicating what’s happening to residents. Unless we do that, people will arrive expecting one thing and go away disappointed. That’s what we want to avoid.
“This event is so important to our town centre independent businesses and market. We’ve seen a decline in footfall.
“People are tempted to do much of their shopping online by these so-called Black Friday and Cyber Monday special offers, which aren’t that great anyway.
“You’re competing against that and edge of town retail parks. Once people have spent their pounds, that’s it. You’ve had it. We’ll be working hard with the town council to ensure the event continues to be the great success it has been for many years.
“People don’t like change, so I’m sure there’ll be plenty upset that we’ve lost the Sunday,” he added. “It’s so important to the vibrancy of our town centre. We’re in competition with so many other towns as well.”
The Christmas lights switch-on in Leighton Buzzard is scheduled for Friday, November 27 this year.