Christmas lights in Horley Town Centre
The Town Council’s Christmas tree is now in place in the Horley town centre. It is a 30ft Norway Spruce, which has been selected from Balcombe Forest and has just been erected by Mitchells of Horley.
There will be less Town Centre Christmas lights than in previous years, owing to the unavailability of funding. The Town Centre Management Group has in the past received a grant from Reigate & Banstead Borough Council. This year no such funding is available for any of the Borough’s Town Centre Management Groups. Neither has it been possible to raise the considerable funds needed to repair and install the existing lamp post lights, despite the strenuous efforts made by Horley & District Chamber of Commerce. However, the Chamber has managed to raise enough funds to provide some additional lights in the Precinct and on the tree.
Despite losing sponsorship from local organisations, the Town Council will continue to provide funding for the Christmas tree.
The Horley Churches will be hosting a carol service around the Christmas tree on the morning of 19 December. Members of the Town Council are inviting those at the service to join them afterwards for refreshments at the Horley branch of the Royal British Legion in Albert Road.
Cllr Richard Olliver, Chairman of the Town Centre Management Group, commented:
“It is a shame that there is no longer funding for Christmas lights in Horley. This is the inevitable consequence of the current recession. Hopefully things will improve in the future.”
