RETAILERS in Wellington are asking the town council for the earliest ever switch-on of the Christmas Lights.

A planned date of November 19 will give shopkeepers five weeks of trading before the holiday – and they say they need it.

“From a financial point of view it makes a huge difference to us,” Sally Hooper of Mad Dog clothing in South Street told a joint council-trader meeting last week. “Last year we only had three Saturdays pre-Christmas after the lights went on and our takings were significantly down on the previous year.”

Sean Cooper, partner in The Emporium Somerset, said: “Most retailers do the majority of their turnover in the fourth quarter of the year, so we need sustained build up from early November to bring people into the town.”

Town clerk Greg Dyke told the meeting the lights cost the council £12,000 to service, put up and store.

But as well as them retailers discussed bringing live music into the town and a one-day event similar to the Street Fair in July organised by the carnival committee.

Traders agreed to hold further talks about what events to create in December and how best to get the word out to the public.

Wellington Business Association agreed to co-ordinate and manage a publicity campaign for the group, with logistical and financial help form Taunton Deane’s economic development unit.