First there was light... Newbury gears up for Christmas

Responsibility for the town’s Christmas lights have passed this year from the town council to Newbury BID (a business collective responsible for promoting the town and managing events) and some illuminations in Northbrook Street and Parkway twinkled into life on Friday, November 15.
However, the first signs of the festive lights prompted some confused townsfolk to contact the Newbury Weekly News asking if they had missed the traditional grand ‘switch on’ event.
Events co-ordinator at the BID, Suzanne Young, said: “It’s the BID’s first Christmas and we’ve taken on feedback from businesses and, with the recession, retailers want to start Christmas as early as they can. The street lights went on last Saturday, but we’re keeping the big switch on until November 30 so we’re trying to keep everyone happy.”
While most of the town centre is already enjoying a festive glow, Newbury’s Market Place Noël is set to begin when the Market Place and the Christmas Tree are lit up on November 30.
The festive spirit will be spread through the town as the Christmas Parade, led by the mayor of Newbury and the popular Santa float, winds its way from the Clock Tower to the Market Square at 6.10pm.
Then at around 6.30pm the Market Place will be illuminated in the glow of Christmas lights when Father Christmas presses the plunger and will be followed by a performance from the Watership Brass band.
The crowd can then head to Victoria Park, which will be transformed into a winter wonderland with 25 stalls emulating the Christmas markets of Germany and Austria.
Festive gifts, food, including bratwurst and a German beer marquee, and fair attractions will feature at the market, which runs from November 30 to December 23 and is open from 10am to 7pm Sunday to Wednesday and 9pm Thursday to Saturday.
And, with Christmas being an expensive time of the year, free parking will be offered after 5pm every Thursday from November 28 until December 19. Car parks include Parkway, Camp Hopson and both the Kennet Shopping centre and Northcroft multi-storeys.
A series of road closures will be in place around Northbrook Street from 5pm to 8pm for the four Thursdays leading up to Christmas with a different theme each night, including an Arctic theme with ice carving on December 19.
Speaking at a meeting of the town council’s civic pride, arts and leisure committee on Monday Martha Vickers (Lib Dem, Northcroft) said: “It’s great to see so much happening in Newbury so give Reading and Basingstoke a miss. Just stay in Newbury.”