Christmas is cancelled, cost-cutting councils say

Edinburgh City Council is scaling down events in Princes Street Gardens and axing the Great Scottish Santa Fun Run this year.

North Lanarkshire Council are considering withdrawing funding for festive trees and lights in its streets to help save money.

In Edinburgh, the council said all events that had previously taken place in West Princes Street Gardens were being withdrawn and celebrations concentrated at the east end of the park.

This means there will be no reindeer garden or other Santa-themed events, but officials stressed Santa would be making appearances at other areas of the celebrations.

The council also said that the Nativity Carol Concert and Nativity Scene would not take place this year without the assistance of sponsors. "These events are either free to the public or charge a nominal entry fee, and the current budget cannot accommodate them," it said.

The cuts come after last year's event went more than 100,000 over budget.

The celebrations have seen a large reduction in sponsorship income, meaning total funding will be cut by a third.

Just 7,500 in private sponsorship has been secured this year, with the Scottish Government expected to give 20,000. Last year sponsors chipped in 112,968.

Total funding secured so far for this year, including rental income, stands at 567,249, compared with 811,414 last year.

The council has cut its contribution by 25,000 to 197,384.

Councillor Steve Cardownie, festivals and events champion for the City of Edinburgh, said: "Clearly, given the difficult financial climate, we are obliged to cut our cloth accordingly while continuing to provide an exciting programme with all of our core elements including a new improved ice rink, our Traditional German Christmas Market and the Highland Village, along with the Edinburgh Wheel.

"We are in productive talks with a number of prospective sponsors."

Mr Cardownie said this year's celebrations would still be a "dazzling event with something for all the family to enjoy".

Ron Hewitt, chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "I am sure businesses will understand if the council has to pull back the amount it is spending. As a consumer, enjoying Christmas is not about how much you spend. If we stop being totally focused on money, a meaningful Christmas festival is about much more than how much people spend."

Meanwhile, North Lanarkshire Council also revealed it was looking at scaling back its funding of Christmas decorations. The council said it could save 100,000 if it limited trees and lights to just its main towns, or 300,000 if it stopped funding them entirely.

Instead, it suggested local communities could raise funds for decorations themselves.

A council spokesman said: "Festive decorations are a very small part of 70 million worth of savings options to be considered by the council in late November. There will be no decision before then."

Douglas Millar, chief executive of Lanarkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "It's important that the shopping experience in towns over the festive period is not put at risk by a lack of festive cheer due to a lack of decorations in the area."