Manchester Christmas lights switch-on scrapped over building work

The famous giant Santa lights up Manchester city centre

Manchester's Christmas lights switch-on show will not go ahead this year because there is no suitable and safe location, the council has said.

Building and demolition work at key city centre locations has ruled out holding the event, which has not taken place since 2019 due to Covid.

The city centre will still have street lights, installations and markets.

Councillor Pat Karney said he was "gutted" for families but there was no space for a switch-on.

Town Hall renovations left Albert Square unvailable and Piccadilly Gardens was deemed unsuitable.

St Peter's Square had safety and viewing issues and demolition and construction work ruled out the end of Deansgate.

Mr Karney said "all the development work going on to make Manchester even better than it already is" meant "we've not got the space needed".

"We're very well aware how much families enjoy the switch-on and what it means to them and are gutted that we can't deliver an event this year for them."

The event will return in 2023, followed by the "biggest and best ever" switch-on in 2024 when the Town Hall and Albert Square will be back in use again, he added.

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