Exclusive by Alan Quick

EXCITING plans were agreed at a meeting of the Crediton Town Council sub-group, Christmas in Crediton, when it met on Tuesday, February 9.

The group decided that the 2016 Christmas in Crediton Light Switch-On event would take place on Saturday, November 26 and that the theme would be “Santa’s Toy Shop”.

The plan is that Crediton High Street would be closed to traffic from 4pm to 6pm, with parking suspended from 2pm to 6pm.

This would enable entertainment to take place in Crediton High Street from 4pm to 5pm, hopefully including morris dancers and other dance groups.

Everyone will be encouraged to dress up for the occasion and there will be the usual Children’s Fancy Dress competition, with children asked to dress up to fit the theme, such as toys, elves, tin soldiers, fairies, reindeer, in Santa outfits or other costumes.

Groups and individuals, and the Fancy Dress competition competitors, will be invited to gather at St Lawrence Green for the parade from 5pm, which is expected to leave the Green at 5.15pm for arrival at the Town Square and Light Switch On ceremony at about 6pm.

A band will play in the Square from 5.15pm to 6pm and then again after the proceedings until 8pm.

Father Christmas will make an appearance during the ceremony.

There will be a suspension of parking around the Town Square from 12 noon to 7pm and the roads around the Square will be closed from 4pm to 7pm.

Lanterns and willow sculptures will hopefully be included in the parade and last year many of the town flags were also carried.

The group decided to seek buskers, circus acts and fire eaters to perform and anyone who is able to do this is asked to contact the Town Clerk, Mrs Clare Dalley on 01363 773717 or email: [email protected] .

The public will be encouraged to shop locally and visit the town’s traders and business owners when they stay open late for their Christmas shopping before 6pm on November 26.

The group’s plan is for cross-street Christmas decorations to light up the town over the Christmas period as well as placing 80 Christmas trees on business and shop fronts of those businesses which support the Christmas in Crediton initiative.

Crediton Town Councillor, Liz Brookes-Hocking, chairman of the Christmas in Crediton committee, a sub-group of Crediton Town Council, thanked all those involved in last year’s Crediton’s Christmas Light Switch On evening and in helping to brighten up the town with lit Christmas trees from building fronts and cross-street decorations.

Previously she said: "Thank you so much to everyone that took part in the town’s Fairy Tale Christmas in Crediton Parade and Lights Switch-on.

"It was a brilliant community event with so many different people pulling together to make it happen.

"Also, thank you to everyone involved in the planning of the event, for your commitment to the project, for coming up with the goods and playing your part. We could not achieve such a complex event without all of this.

"In particular, we would like to thank the following: Crediton Chamber of Commerce, Crediton High Street Traders, Crediton Dairy, Create Storage, Graphic plc, Hedgerow Print, Alison Shakspeare, Crediton Town Council, Crediton Arts Centre, Crediton Scouts/Cubs/Beavers, Amy Charles Dance Academy, Crediton Boniface Rotary Club, Crediton Rotary Club, Crediton Lions Club, Hayward’s School, Paper Face at Crediton Farmers’ Market, All Marshals and Stewards, "Crediton Courier", Crediton Methodist Church, Rev Nigel Guthrie, All High Street Traders that made a donation, carried their flags and stayed open late, Jo and Philip Ward, Peter Brewer, Rod Brookes-Hocking, Crediton Coffee Company, Nicki Chivers. Kayleigh Jones, Crediton Army Cadets, Crediton Air Cadets, local residents that volunteered and gave their time freely, everyone that made a thank you donation, David Oliver of Oliver’s Bakery, Sarah Chanin, Great Western Morris, Jack and Beth Robson, Djembe Band, Paul Whittall, Skaper, The Greenhouse, Natalia Letch, Crediton Police and Crediton Fire Station."

Magic fairy dust helped Mayoress, Mrs Natalia Letch and the children who won the fancy dress competition switch on the lights on the big tree and those around the square at last year’s event.

Father Christmas appeared at a window and music rounded off the evening.

The display of trees and lights along the A377 and other roads in Crediton were the envy of many other towns in the area, paid for mainly by donation from businesses and traders, Crediton Town Council, Crediton Dairy and other sponsors.