Cullen Christmas lights set to twinkle

THE festive season is to formally get under way in Cullen when the town's Christmas lights are switched on next Thursday.

It is a chance to welcome back the full programme of celebrations this year after Covid meant a curtailed programme of events was held last year.

The evening is set to get under way with the Christmas Fayre, which is making a welcome return after sitting out the festivities last year. Doors open at 5pm in the Bowling and Tennis Club.

Visitors to the events will be able to enjoy a wide range of community stalls while the Cullen Primary choir will be on hand to sing some festive tunes.

At 7.15pm it will be time to head down to the Millennium Square – lead by a piper – for the lights switch on itself. A pupil from the primary school will do the honours in switching on the lights.

Cullen Christmas Lights Committee chairman David Paterson said: "It's great to be going back to our old format, especially being able to hold the Christmas Fayre, we've really missed it.

"It's a major fund-raising opportunity for many of our local community groups and charities which we haven't been able to hold for three years due to Covid."

The viaduct, however, will not be lit up this year with the lights committee looking at ways of lighting it up safely next year.

Mr Paterson explained: "We had permission in hand to change how the lights are positioned on the viaduct to enable them to be accessed safely by ladder.

"However, we discovered there was a high pressure gas pipe running through the area and SGN told us that we couldn't do anything within three metres of either side of it.

"That knocked our original plans back and we had to come up with another solution. Unfortunately we won't be able to put that in place for this year but it will for next year, making for a display that is both safer and better."

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