Blog: C'mon Shrewsbury, stop me being a such Grinch

They're nicely understated and the string of lights over the Square looks lovely.

But I wouldn't want you getting too comfortable, so here comes the whinge.

I went along to this year's switch-on in an attempt to get myself into the Christmas spirit. Even though it's still November. As far as I'm concerned, the run-up to Christmas starts after my birthday. And that's still to come.

But the timing of the switch-on isn't the reason for my whinge (but really, is it too much to ask to wait until December? I don't think so).

No, I'm more concerned with the event itself. Actually, not the event, but the things going on around it.

I'm glad the old switch-on, where radio DJs nobody had ever heard of tried to whip up the crowd by yelling things like "MAKE SOME NOISE" in horrifically false, chipper voices, has been ditched. It made me want to punch kittens.

I did, however, like the fact that the panto cast got involved. That needs to come back. Oh yes it does (contractually obliged as a journalist to do that pun, I'm afraid).

But even that is not what I'm whining about. The kids' lantern parade led by the town crier was a nice touch this year and generally I thought the switch-on was quite good.

What I AM whinging about is the fact that a lot of effort seems to have gone into taking the tacky out of the event in all areas but one. The lights aren't tacky. The switch-on itself isn't tacky. So why on earth was the Square, and every street leading to it, besieged with pedlars selling their cheap, plastic, lighty-up, break-in-a-day tat?

Not just one or two, there were dozens of the pests. How someone didn't lose an eye as overexcited kids waved lit-up wands and "laser-swords" (George Lucas is watching) around that their parents had only bought them for five minutes peace is anyone's guess.

Who allowed so many of these 'traders' to be in the same place at the same time? Did they not think two or three would have been enough?

And yet what was missing from this CHRISTMAS event? This Christmas event when it was a bit chilly. Did anyone see a little stall selling roasted chestnuts? Wouldn't that have been nice? Or baked potatoes. Or hot drinks.

I applaud Shrewsbury's efforts to take the cheap and nasty out of its festive lights event. But couldn't it go just that one step further?

Who knows, that might even stop ME being such a Grinch.

I wouldn't hold your breath, though.