A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Greenwich Council has revealed that the Labour-run authority spent £184,000 to put on the annual Sparkle in the Park event in Avery Hill Park, an increase of 34% in cost since the first event in 2020. However, the Council continues to refuse to bring back the annual Eltham Lights Up parade on Eltham High Street.
The Council have previously cited the need to close Eltham High Street and the associated cost as a reason the event can no longer go ahead. At the most recent Eltham Town Centre Partnership meeting, the Council suggested the event might be able to return if private enterprise and businesses based in the town centre were willing to pay for the cost of closing the High Street.
In recent years, a scaled down event has been held in Passey Place on Eltham High Street which cost the Council just over £5,000 for 2023, unlike the previous Eltham Lights Up parade however, this event brings little additional footfall to the wider town centre or benefit to businesses and the local economy.
Charlie said, “Changing shopping habits have meant much change in our town centres and shopping parades. An event like the Eltham Lights Up parade has previously brought large crowds to Eltham High Street and with it significant economic benefit to our local town centre and the businesses based there. Our Labour Council have previously cited cost as a factor in not bringing back the event, but now we have found out they happily spent £184k on Sparkle in the Park this year, and that figure is almost £50k more than just three years ago.
If the Council can find £42 million for Woolwich Works, then they should be able to back our town centre and local businesses by committing to a Lights Up parade in 2024.”
Councillor Pat Greenwell, Councillor for Eltham Town and Avery Hill ward which includes Eltham High Street, said, “Local Conservatives have pushed for a return of the Eltham Lights Up parade for a number of years and I cannot understand why the Council seem to be so dead against bringing this back. Local school children in particular loved the parade, and our High Street businesses benefited too. I will continue to press for the parade’s return in 2024.”
