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2020

Latest News

Mayor’s Christmas message to residents as lights are switched on across Gedling.

Date Posted: 3:50 PM on Fri, 4 December 2020

The Mayor of Gedling, Councillor Sandra Barnes, has wished everyone a safe Christmas as she switched on the borough’s Christmas lights alongside the Youth Mayor.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Christmas lights were switched on in a low-key event, which was filmed by the council. The Mayor, alongside her consort, Councillor Peter Barnes, and the Youth Mayor, Muhammad Malik, recorded a message to the residents of the borough alongside Rev John Allister, Gedling Acting Area Dean, the Anglican Church, who also delivered a message of hope to people. In the video, the Mayor wished everyone a safe Christmas before starting the countdown and pressing the button to switch the Christmas tree lights on as part of the Big Switch-on in Gedling. 

Community Christmas light switch-on events across the borough, including in Arnold Town Centre, which normally attracts thousands of people, have been cancelled this year, due to the pandemic. Instead, the council has coordinated a Big Switch-on of all the borough’s Christmas lights on 1 December to mark the start of the festive period.

The council is also supporting the ‘Fair on the Square’ organised by local business owner, Jonathon Burkin. Mr Burkin, who runs the Button Moon Yarn and Haberdashery is organising the fair on Eagle Square, Arnold to celebrate '20 days of Christmas', running every day from Saturday 5th December right through to Christmas Eve, it will showcase the best of Gedling's crafters and creators. There will be a variety of stalls throughout the month, selling produce such as authentic samosas and bhajis, to handmade brownies and there will be crafters selling personalised Christmas gifts and wreaths.

As well as the Fair on the Square, the Arnold Market, which is set to be redeveloped in the New Year will be open on its usual days. Plans are being made for the temporary move of the market to Eagle Square in the New Year as part of the council’s ongoing development of Arnold Market Place.  

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said:

“The lights’ switch on is usually one of the highlights of the year when we all get together and celebrate the start of the Christmas festivities. Unfortunately, as we all know, we have had to change our plans this year but we think that people will enjoy even more, the lights being on as a welcome distraction from the pandemic that will bring smiles to the faces of many. I would also like to thank the Mayor for her message to residents to stay safe and enjoy their Christmas.

Our residents have done fantastically well to reduce the number of cases in the area and I am urging people to continue to follow the rules. We are following the government guidance and the fair in the square will be safe. We have to balance up the fact that we need to support our local businesses while ensuring we do not increase cases in the borough.”

Event organiser and local business owner of Button Moon Yarn and Haberdashery, Jonathon Burkin said:

“We’re very pleased to be able to run a fair this year, albeit in very different circumstances and on a lot smaller scale than previous years. We want to support our local businesses and market stallholders and we hope that this Christmas event will get people to shop locally and help boost sales after a very difficult time for retailers. We will do everything to make sure the area is covid secure and that people visiting will feel safe.”

The video of the Mayor switching on the lights and the message from Rev John Allister, Gedling Acting Area Dean, the Anglican Church can be viewed on the council’s YouTube page.

More details about the Fair in the Square are also available www.facebook.com/faironthesquarearnold