Ilkley in Gloom

Miggy Bailey, the force behind Ilkley's Christmas Lights campaign, is disgusted and disillusioned with the response to her plea for funding.

While Mrs Bailey is annoyed, one of the town's independent traders who has been working closely with her, feels traders need to be presented with the full picture, rather than simply condemned.

Mrs Bailey, the Ilkley Parish Council clerk, believes £20,000 is needed over the next five years to ensure the success of a plan designed to bring a sparkling new look to the town's festive lighting.

"I think you could say we are some way short of that. I think donations so far total £345," she said.

Although she is expecting about £2,000 from regular contributors, and Bradford Council has promised to match pound for pound the amount raised, omens are not good.

Mrs Bailey thought last year's desperate situation, where only a last-minute burst of generosity ensured any lights were put up, could not be topped. She has been proven wrong.

"It's even worse than last year, despite a lot of effort being put in by myself and a few independent traders," said Mrs Bailey.

The Ilkley Christmas lights team's long term solution (five year plan) was to divide the town's business community into blocks, with each block (eg The Grove) paying an annual standing order, perhaps £50 from each business in the block.

This has met with almost total apathy. Of the 40 businesses in The Grove, Mrs Bailey has received 'interest' from three, and money from only two.

Mrs Bailey is at a loss to describe the apathy. "What traders should remember, is no lights means no Christmas switch-on. Will that mean no late opening," she said.

However, Claire Richardson, director of Arthur English (Ilkley) Ltd, a member of the Ilkley Independent Traders Group, said she could understand why traders have been reluctant to part with money.

"I want to be positive and not slate traders. In the past they have been asked to part with money and have seen the same old display go up year after year," she said.

She said brochures showing how the lights could look have been produced. Traders could see for themselves where their money would be going. The only ray of light for Mrs Bailey in this affair is the determination of a group of pensioners to light up Christmas.

"I know the pensioners at Leconfield House, Springs Lane, want to light their home for Christmas. They have said they will raise the money to do it and I believe they will," she said.

She hoped this might 'shame' the community into action but time was running out.

"These pensioners are an example to the rest of the town. I can tell you the vast majority of the money raised so far has come from pensioners," she said.

Mrs Bailey believes the money donated so far would be better spent on a big effort for the millennium.

However, the chairman of Ilkley Parish Council, Coun Alec Henderson (Con, Ben Rhydding), said because people had contributed to this year's appeal it would be foolish to do nothing.

Mrs Bailey said if the decision was made to go ahead with lights, the display would only be on a par with last year's offering - 'no doubt leading to grumbles', she said.

Anyone wanting to donate to the Christmas Lights appeal should contact Mrs Bailey at Ilkley Town Hall on 01943 436212.

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