King Street is packed for big switch-on
Friday 30th November 2012, 2:30PM GMT.
Tharicha Longmuir who won a JEP competition to switch on the lights with Jepson
THOUSANDS of Islanders young and old packed into King Street last night to see the St Helier Christmas lights turned on.
By the time Santa Claus arrived on his sleigh from New Street at 6 pm in time for the grand switch-on, the crowd stretched out in both directions signalling a good start to the first late-night shopping day in the run-up to Christmas.
The lights were switched on by seven-year-old Tharicha Longmuir, who won a Jersey Evening Post competition to press the switch with Jepson, the newspaper’s mascot for its junior readers.
However, the event has been criticised by several parents who say holding it in King Street led to a crush which made it unpleasant for children and difficult for them to see anything.
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We were there last night with two children.
It was lovely to be there but it was a disaster !!
Cramped, no space, unable to see anything, no Carol singers, no Christmas music, no brass band..??!!
Just radio 103 – which was rather poor !! and a Father Christmas who was about 35 years old, greeting his mates as he went past !!
We had to tell the kids he just a man wearing a costume the performance was that poor.
On the plus side – the lights were lovely and the De Gruchy staff were really helpful letting us through their store to get out of the masses..
Maybe back to the Royal Square next year??!!
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What a load of crap – that Santa was brilliant, my daughter got to talk to him and he was magical, sour grapes, me thinks, what did you all expect from a switch on, 20 people to turn up, where else would you see the curtain of lights go on but in the precinct, some people just like to have moan.
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What a joke that was I went with my 3year old boy and he was pushed over he didn’t even get to see Santa he was left in tears . Why hold it there where only the people at the front could see anything and most were adults what’s wrong with the square
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Not quite the same enjoyable experience I read about on police facebook page! Sounded like a nightmare!
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It was shocking and lucky someone wasn’t hurt. The organisers should be ashamed of themselves, I was worried for a 18month old and one poor mum near us screamed as the crowd crushed her.The whole thing was a shambles and we were left angry and dissapointed.
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And this is what we (over)pay a totally unnecessary ‘town manager’ many thousands of pounds annually from our parish rates for.
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Just loves how organisers get blamed for people’s behaviour!!
People in general over here behave like they are in a bun fight whatever is organised.. Too many people here simple as. And too many thoughtless inconsiderate RUDE ones!!
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Walked in to town. Some lights were already on before the official switch on.
What was the point?
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