BANGOR High Street could hold a week of entertainment to boost Christmas trade.
People of Bangor Community Group chairman Nigel Pickavance proposed live music, a grotto, snow machines and even an ice rink to encourage residents to shop in the city in the second week of December.
“We’re saying to people for this one week, don’t go to Rhyl or Llandudno, come to your own High Street and spend money and support your retailers,” he said.
Mr Pickavance said that he planned to negotiate with retailers to include a grotto and was assessing the cost of hiring an ice rink and snow machine.
He added that he had written to mayor of Bangor Dorothy Bulled to raise the plans with Bangor City Council.
“Every other town has something special for Christmas“ he said. “This could be the first year that the council celebrates Christmas in the High Street.”
The group’s annual general meeting agreed to pursue funding from bodies including the Gwynedd Council Tidy Towns Project for renovation projects across the city.
“It would be on a small scale at first, then if it is a success we would build it up to set up a proper group to brighten up the areas that need it,” he said.
Mr Pickavance added that volunteers would be needed for the project.
“We need people to give an hour of their time to help Bangor,” he said.
Bangor Students’ Union community affairs spokesperson Sharyn Williams attended the meeting and lent her support to the plans.
“The various events planned for The People of Bangor Community Group’s week of Christmas Celebrations will be of great interest to our students, and we are sure that they’ll be ready to get stuck in along with other members of the community,” she said.
A group committee meeting in Maesgeirchen also confirmed that the Bangor Carnival would return next year after the success of the event in June.
He added that the group also hoped to hold a Bangor’s Got Talent event at pubs and clubs in the city from next January.
Cllr Bulled confirmed that she would ask Bangor town clerk Gwyn Hughes to include the plans for discussion at the next available council meeting.