A CAMPAIGN to light up York this Christmas is a step closer to plugging the £30,000 cash shortfall, thanks to a £5,000 donation from City of York Council.
Uncertainty over the fate of this year's festive illuminations led the council to contribute the extra cash in a bid to spur others to dig deep.
Within an hour of the council's announcement York Business Pride - which has been rallying support from local businesses - pledged to consider matching the £5,000.
As reported, £30,000 is needed to deck the city centre with illuminations and maintain them over the festive season.
York Council is already covering the costs of storing the lights and paying for Christmas lighting in key city centre locations.
The Evening Press has thrown its weight behind the cause by launching its Make York Sparkle campaign.
Tony Bennett, the council's assistant director of economic development, said: "The council fully acknowledges the importance of Christmas lights to York. We are contributing as much we can towards this year's lights, as well as leading on the substantial promotion of York this Christmas through the Yuletide York campaign.
"Over 500,000 extra visitors come shopping in York each Christmas, spending more than £37m. The council fully supports York Business Pride's fund-raising drive to safeguard this tremendous benefit to York's businesses and residents."
Council leader Steve Galloway said: "The scale of the problem has only just been recognised and our expectation was that the business community would be able to handle the costs but that appears not to be the case.
"Certainly, most traders feel Christmas lights help to stimulate the local trade, so we felt we ought to take an initiative and set an example."
York Business Pride chairman Adam Sinclair welcomed the council's "act of generosity and goodwill".
"In the circumstances I will be proposing to the York Business Pride board that we contribute £5,000 to this project," he said.
To contribute to the Christmas lights fund, write to Ian Tempest, Economic Development Unit, City of York Council, 20 George Hudson Street, York. YO1 6WR.
Updated: 13:58 Friday, September 17, 2004
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