Concerns Christmas lights are still up in Gloucester in March

There are concerns “it’s all gone lackadaisical” in Gloucester as the Christmas lights are still up in the city centre almost a week into March.

People have been asking why the festive lights are still hanging above the Gate Streets with Spring fast approaching.

However, Gloucester City Council chiefs have explained it is because they have had problems with finding somewhere to store them this year.

It is understood they were previously kept somewhere in the Eastgate Centre but the area is being cleared to make way for the Greyfriars redevelopment.

The City Council says they have now secured a new site for the Christmas lights and they should be taken down next week.

Westgate Councillor Howard Hyman (LD) has been in touch with the officers who were working to secure a new place to store them.

But Councillor Rebecca Trimnell (LD, Westgate) said it was bizarre that the lights are still up.

“It might be worth keeping them up until Christmas if it is going to cost too much for them to come down,” she said.

“You kind of forget they are there now. It is really bizarre. They are still up.”

And Councillor Pam Tracey believes they should be taken down.

“It’s all gone lackadaisical,” she said.

“Maybe we haven’t got the manpower to get them down, I suppose.

“It’s about time they come down. We are going into the first day of Spring on March 21.

“We haven’t got to go by other cities and just keep them up for decoration.

“No, they need to come down.”

A City Council spokesperson said the authority has been trying to find somehwere store them but various options fell through.

However, they have now found somewhere and the lights will be taken down next week.