Decking Witham's halls with boughs of holly will cost £255 more than it did last year.

Witham Town Council has been using Eastern Contracting to put up the town's Christmas lights for many years. But the company has decided to increase its price.

Last year, the job of installing and removing the lights and decorations cost £1,180 but this year the council faces a bill of £1,435.

Town council clerk, Audrey Harrington, said: "The contractors have not increased their price for four years and have been doing the work cheaply as a goodwill gesture.

"We will use Eastern Contracting this year because we are very pleased with them, they do an extremely good job and it is now too late to find someone else - but next year we will have to go out to tender."

A spokesman for Eastern Contracting explained that the company could not make a loss again this year.

This year's festive display will be put up at the end of November in Witham.

They are set to follow a similar theme to previous years with Christmas trees and white lights illuminating the town.

Published Friday November 8, 2002

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