Picture Special: Birmingham's Christmas Lights fail to shine

Nov 13 2011 by Mercury Reporter, Sunday Mercury

BIRMINGHAM’s Christmas lights switch-on last night was a big turn-off overshadowed by its big city rivals.

Manchester boasted Girls Aloud siren Nicola Roberts and chart-topper Tinchy Stryder, Liverpool kicked off Christmas with a performance by X Factor star Rebecca Ferguson, and London served up The Saturdays.

But cash-strapped Birmingham welcomed the festive period with Darth Vader, tap-dancing turkeys and Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Council chiefs staged a low-key parade through the city streets, led by a Nativity scene but comprising a bizarre cast of characters who seemed to have little, or nothing, to do with the festive period.

The lacklustre celebration came two years after a botched free concert by JLS at Birmingham’s Millennium Point ended in a terrifying crowd surge which left four people in hospital.

Last night a spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council defended the parade, insisting that it focused on the real meaning of Christmas.

“We do not believe it is low-key,” she said. “We believe it is different. We’re very much pushing the real meaning of Christmas and the traditional elements. It’s a different take more directed at families.