There will be no Christmas lights switch-on event this year, Douglas Council has finally determined.

Part of the annual Christmas tradition of late night shopping, the lights switch-on is a major night for retail in the capital.

The council’s regeneration and community committee considered a report into the proposed format of a switch on ceremony for this year after concerns were raised over of previous years’ events on Ridgeway Street and North Quay.

Despite last year’s event on the North Quay being considered a success by those who attended, the fire service said it would object to a similar event being held this year given issues that arose from a safety perspective in 2019.

Due to the work on the promenade, it was determined that there is ’no other suitable location’ to host the event and the committee made the decision to scrap the 2020 ceremony.

Instead of a major switch-on event, the money used will be spent on other council activities and for smaller events in the town centre to mark the start of the Christmas period on Thursday, November 19.

However, the committee also agreed that once the promenade works are completed, Douglas Council will be able to hold its switch-on event in the cultural quarter of Harris Promenade.

Given the commitment by the Department of Infrastructure to have the promenade works mostly completed by April 2021, the Christmas switch-on ceremony should return to the capital next year.