Cash flows in for Christmas lighting

Boards have now been erected in Western Road, Sackville Road, Devonshire Road and St Leonards Road, acknowledging the businesses in each street which have given to the 30,000 appeal to make Bexhill brighter this Christmas.

This week the fund is standing at well over 11,000.

The boards will be updated at weekly intervals as new donors come forward.

Under the slogan "Never again!" Bexhill Regeneration Partnership's town centre and tourism action group set out to ensure that last year's near-blackout would not be repeated.

Last year's fiasco made Bexhill the laughing-stock of the South East.

A working party obtained quotes for the infrastructure and lights to provide nearly 40 traverses across the main shopping streets.

Rother council is backing the 93,000 scheme with cash from the regeneration budget.

The scheme is expected to provide the basis for Christmas lighting for the next decade.

The infrastructure will also be available for other decorations throughout the year.

Group member Brian Storkey said: "I feel excited about it. It seems to be working well. Suddenly, people are coming on board.

"It is the independents, the local businesses, who are coming in and we are getting a lot of people contributing from the peripheral roads as well as those who will benefit directly.

"Businesses in Wilton and Eversley Road, for example, are supporting St Leonards Road; businesses are coming in from Town Hall Square and Marina.

"As a result, we have ordered two extra boards. We are putting one up in Wickham Avenue because the traders there, who have done so well, wanted to keep their own identity.

"We have also done an extra board for Marina which will also acknowledge donations from addresses not covered by the other boards.

"We are over a third of the way there now. I think things are snowballing now.

"It is very exciting to see the way that local independent traders are responding - and very disappointing to see the lack of response from the multiples.

"What is needed now is for the ones who have contributed to encourage their friends and neighbours to come on board.

"We are going to concentrate on the multiples now, in case they think they have got away with it.

"They take a lot from this town and it is only right that they should put something back."