Wish it could be Christmas every day? It is here

Published on Friday 20 March 2009 21:11

CHRISTMAS comes but once a year, but in Peterhead the festive period is just going on and on.

Banners resplendent with Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer and festive robins are still hanging in the town centre as spring approaches.

Bad luck is said to fall on those who fail to remove decorations by Twelfth Night, so who knows what woe will betide the town after councilors failed to decide whose job it was to do so.

For the past four months shoppers have been stuck with the sight of Christmas banners at Drummer's Corner, in the town centre. The Rudolph banner, located in the main shopping precinct, is accompanied by two more that depict robins nestling in holly and stacks of shiny, wrapped presents.

The banners were erected in Peterhead by Arthur Gill, the town co-ordinator. It was also his job to take them down, but funding for his post ran out on 1 January. The Christmas tree and lights were removed by the community council, but no-one has responsibility for the banners.

Tardiness has become a feature of the town's festive decorations. Last year's Christmas tree was still standing in February, complete with all its lights. Then, officials blamed high winds, which had made it difficult to take the tree down.

Yesterday Albert Howie, a local councillor said: "It's very embarrassing. Are they trying to save money by leaving the decorations up until next year? There's no way we should still be celebrating Christmas when it's almost Easter."

Officials at Aberdeenshire Council are looking for someone who can take down the Christmas banners and replace them with ones more in keeping with the season.

Chris White, area manager with the local authority, said: "We knew the funding for Arthur's post was coming to an end, so the bigger things were taken care of. But we're just getting round to picking up on some of the smaller jobs.

"We just need to find out who's going to take the banners down. Hopefully, they're not going to be there for much longer."