TRADERS have slammed retail bosses after it emerged they had cancelled Christmas in Pendle Rise shopping centre.

The shopkeepers hit out after they each received letters, stating no festive decorations will be hung in the Nelson town centre complex this year, unless they are willing to foot the electricity bill themselves.

They believe the lack of festive spirit will deter shoppers from venturing into the Pendle town and affect their businesses.

But retail bosses claim soaring utility costs have affected their available funds.

Eileen Ansar, of Slick clothing shop, said the cost of the decorations is usually included in their service charge.

“This is the first year they’ve had the audacity to ask us to pay for it,” she said.

“The trimmings are there ready to go up, but they won’t do it. It’s disgusting.”

Pendle Council has been criticised in the past for not injecting enough festive cheer into the town, but they have spent extra funds on lights this year.

Lennes West, of Martins newsagents, said: “It seems a shame that there won’t be any decorations up. Decorations bring shoppers into the town and kids after school.”

Ruth Warren, manager at Superdrug, said: “I have a lovely shop here with some lovely stock, but it doesn’t matter because nobody will come to Nelson Christmas shopping if they don’t make any effort to make it festive.” Doig Rudling, from the centre’s newly-installed management company 4D, said the current economic climate had affected their decision.

“There is a large cost involved with Christmas decorations, so we have told each of the traders, if they want them, they will have to pay for it themselves,” he said.

“We have sent letters saying we will put them up if they pay for them, but a lot of them are only prepared to take and not give.

“Soaring electricity prices over the past six to eight months have been astronomical compared to in previous years.

“It’s a hard situation – we would like to open for late night shopping and have Christmas decorations, but we have more important things to pay for and do not have a huge amount of money.”