It was with mixed feelings I read the news tonight that the Walsall Illuminations have ended for good. I have attended for many years more that the 25 I have lived in Walsall and most years went twice - once near the beginning and once near the end. In the last few years as prices have gone up and the quality of the lights has gone down we reduced to once a year and in fact last year i was asked on the way out what I thought - I reckon the young lady wished she hadn't asked as I related very politely my thoughts on how rubbish the show had been, how poor the laser show had been and hoe inept the so called entertainers had been and on top of that there were areas of the park that usually had lights that didn't.
The night we went we walked round without and hold up at all and even getting in and out was done with no queues. I have gone in the past when almost any night there would be a queue some distance up Broadway North and even into Arboretum Road.
I know a number of people who worked on the lights and related my thoughts to them and they said it was no good saying anything because no one listened to them, and they doubted whether any notice was taken of the public feedback that was gathered on the gate during the lights.
The lights are gone but hopefully will not be forgotten.
