TRADERS are hoping Christmas comes early when they apply for a cash boost to help brighten up Ringwood's town centre for festive shoppers.

The town's chamber of trade and commerce plans to spend £23,000 revamping Ringwood's ten-year-old collection of jaded Christmas lights in a bid to reinvigorate the town centre and attract more trade.

It hopes to get the green light from the town council to fund the first stage of its plan with a £2,500 cash boost when it meets to discuss its future vision of the town's Christmas lights at a meeting of the council's policy and finance committee on Wednesday.

Chamber of trade and commerce committee member and New Forest District cllr Jeremy Heron admitted that the process of replacing the old lights would mean fewer lights in the town centre this year, but he promised they would be 'infinitely better.'

"I am confident there will be a significant improvement in the town's lights this year, and not only businesses, but residents will be justifiably proud of them," he said.

Keith Miller Festive Decoration Ltd will present the chamber's plans for the future lighting of the town centre at the meeting.

The town council will also decide whether to approve granting the chamber its annual £1,000 Christmas light budget, in addition to the proposed £2,500 of match funding.

The chamber had hoped to replace all the town's Christmas lights in one swoop, but hopes dimmed when a bid for cash from Hampshire County Council failed.

Despite the setback the group has vowed to pursue the venture and this year hopes to buy 1,000 brand new t-lights to decorate the town's Christmas tree in the Market Place.

It also plans to buy 350 metres of special wire with lights attached to make the High Street more attractive.

First published: October 19