Christmas switch-on events cost £2k per Mid and East Antrim town

The report was presented to the council’s Borough Growth Committee at a remote meeting on Monday evening.

The report indicated that 85,291 viewers watched the council’s online civic switch-on events during 68,486 minutes overall.

In Larne, festivities included the mayor switching on Christmas lights and pre-recorded musical and storytelling performances. Ten local groups took part in a Christmas “countdown”. The civic switch-ons were moved online this year due to Covid restrictions.

Meanwhile, the council’s ‘MEA Arts at Home’ Christmas programme was delivered at a cost of £2,500.

The meeting was also told that a Christmas voucher campaign for The Gobbins cliff path walk in Islandmagee resulted in revenue of £6,260.

The East Antrim visitor attraction welcomed 231 sightseers between December 11 and Christmas Eve. Essential maintence is due to take place during January and February with a reopening date scheduled for March 1.

Councillors have also been advised that a recent consultation over redundancies among tour guides at The Gobbins has ended and a full report will be brought to the local authority’s February meeting.

Click hereto read: Redeployment under consideration for tour guides at The Gobbins

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

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