b'Hitchin Christmas Lights Switch On Last years Christmas Tree Lights Switch on was the busiest so far. The day kicked off at noon with choirs and performers on stage. Santas Parade was led from Bancroft up to the Market Place by the Hertfordshire Band and the New Town Centres provided the music.Christmas MarketOur 2 week Christmas Market was aimed at supporting our town centre businesses and offered visitors an outdoor shopping experience. There were 15 market chalets, Santas Grotto, live music and food stalls. Christmas Lights Scheme Having tendered and chosen a new company to put up, take down, store and insure our Christmas Lighting scheme last year, we have spent a considerable amount of time completing the application process for Herts County Council. It is not widely known that Herts County Council have one of the mostEat Alfrescorestrictive and complex rules and regulationsAlthough the majority of our 2020 events around Christmas Lighting in the Country. plans had to be postponed, we felt we needed This means that many of the schemes weto support businesses by making use of the would like to deliver are rejected or reduced.Market Place. We offered all Hitchin Town We did, however manage to deliver anCentre eateries the opportunity to use enhanced scheme last year with a number ofsections of the Market Place for outdoor new additional lighting displays in Churchgatedining. This was aimed at helping those with and Market Place.limited outdoor or indoor space for customers. Festival BuntingThe Eat Alfresco event ran until October. Opening the Market Place and part of the In May last year we put up blue, red and whiteRiverside up as an alfresco dining area, bunting to improve the towns aesthetics duringthis opportunity was exclusively offered to the summer season. The Hitchin FestivalHitchin Town Centre businesses and aimed at committee contributed towards this schemeincreasing revenue for those with no or limited which made a positive addition to the town. outdoor space for customers. 302weeks Eat Alfresco eventweek Christmas Market Hitchin BID Annual Report 2021/22 9'