I READ with interest the letter from Rita Harvey commenting that the Christmas lights are "sad" (February 24) - I couldn't agree more. It has been my primary aim to improve the brightness of the lights since I first joined the committee.

The brightness of the lights makes a massive difference to the appearance of the lights, as seen by the previous displays of Goodramgate in the late Nineties.

Unfortunately this has not been possible. Every year we have been struggling to maintain the lights in their existing format without improvements because the funds just haven't been there. The council has no money, the traders generally haven't contributed (with some noticeable exclusions), and there haven't been any general donations so, I am afraid, without money, there can be no lights.

There is a dedicated committee in place with members who give their time free and voluntarily, but unfortunately the contractors do require paying! It needs some forward-thinking company to offer funding for the unique opportunity to see their company name flying above the streets of York for a period of nine weeks, with all the publicity that would generate.

Frank Wood,

Chairman,

York Pride,

Christmas Lights Committee,

RA Braithwaite Jewellers,

Goodramgate, York.

Updated: 09:56 Thursday, March 02, 2006