A Christmas light switch-on event has been cancelled by a local council due to health and safety concerns for the second year running.
Sheffield City Council said that the “safety” of attendees could not be guaranteed while construction work goes ahead in Fargate – a shopping area in the city.
Other Christmas events are still due to go ahead, with the regular market stalls and celebrations set in place from November 14.
Councillor Martin Smith, chair of economic development, said: “The decision not to hold a traditional, large scale switch-on event wasn’t made easily, but the safety of residents and visitors will always be our priority and having entertainment spread across the whole weekend is the best option to ensure this.”
The construction work is a part of the Fargate improvement scheme and has been given extra funding and support from the University of Sheffield, the city council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
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The construction work is a part of the Fargate improvement scheme and has been given extra funding and support from the University of Sheffield, the city council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
The £15.8million investment aims to revive the city centre as a social hub, although there has been a significant delay in progress by three years as a result of issues regarding paving supplies, ground conditions and technical approval for new bins.
Usually, the city’s Christmas markets attract up to 40,000 individuals.
However, the cancellation of the lights switch-on has triggered concern among local business who are worried about the impact of the council’s decision.
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Local businessman Tim Nye, who owns a café along Norfolk Row by Fargate told the BBC: “It’s disappointing when anything is cancelled in Sheffield because it makes such a big difference, that footfall is absolutely essential.
“I would say sometimes it can make as much as 40 per cent difference. Christmas is an important trading period for lots of people like ourselves.
“Sometimes when I am outside our site on Norfolk Row and I look up the street the road appears completely blocked off with little channels for people to walk down.”
“Fargate was the prime street in the city but it is a very different scenario now.”
“It’s disappointing when anything is cancelled in Sheffield because it makes such a big difference, that footfall is absolutely essential”, a local businessman has said (Stock image)
Sheffield City Centre
Instead of the usual Christmas light switch-on, Sheffield will host a “Crackers for Christmas” event, where market stalls will be set up by local traders and business owners, with performances and activities on the first weekend of the festivities.
The council has announced that over 80 per cent of the market stalls belong to independent traders, spanning across Town Hall Square, Peace Gardens and The Moor.
Other options for the location of the lights switch-on has been ruled out by the council for being too small, such as Peace Gardens and Barker’s Pool.
The Christmas markets in Sheffield will run from November 14 until Christmas Eve, while the Christmas lights will be lit until January 5.
