Traders question missing lights

TOWN centre traders have signed a petition asking why a section of Western Road is without Christmas lights.

The festive lights were switched on last month by Town Mayor Cllr Paul Lendon, but a stretch of the road from Picture Crafts to the Age Concern shop remains in darkness.

Businesses say the rigging for the lights appears to be in place, but no bulbs have been attached.

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A letter has been sent to Rother District Council signed by dozens of angry traders.

It reads: "We wonder if this is an oversight on your part? If so, we would be grateful if you would remedy the situation as soon as possible.

"Our customers have complained to us about the gloomy feeling at this end of Western Road whereas the rest of the shopping area appears well decorated. They are wondering as to whether or not we do not have lights because somehow we are unable to afford to have them erected.

"We have to continously explain to customers that, for some reason, the council has avoided supporting us and we simply do not know why.

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"As rate payers we feel entitled to the same service you have afforded to not only yourselves but also the other retailers in the area.

"We respectfully request an early solution to this problem. Any form of decoration is better than none, so please help to make our Christmas sales period both properous and a happy occasion - just as you managed to support other businesses."

The new 100,000 town centre lighting scheme is paid for by Rother through a special expense to Bexhill rate-payers.

After being told about the complaints, a spokesman for Rother said: "The zig-zag rigging in Western Road has been used in the past because the brickwork there could not support the big features. However eyebolts had been installed in most locations, which have been used for the much lighter 'swags' of LED's this year, in preference to the zig-zags which are old and in poor condition.

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"There is however, a gap towards the western end of Western Road because there are none of the newer eyebolts in place there. To put eyebolts in will require securing consent from landowners, drawing up licence agreements, etc and as this can take time we have concentrated for this year on getting lights up where the infrastructure is already in place.

"The council will however be looking to fill that gap next year, for which the first step will be to approach property owners for consent."

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