Somerset West Christmas Lights Swich On 2012

My daughter begged me tonight to take her to see the Christmas Lights Switch On, on the Main Road in Somerset West. We took a stroll down to the Main Road, to the Town Hall. The crowd had gathered around the circle watching the drumies from Beaumont Primary. Opposite the stage sat the Major of  Cape Town, Patricia de Lill (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_de_Lille) and the usual DA Councillors of the Helderberg Basin. My daughter then dragged me away to browse around the stalls and without wanting to be negative the stalls all consisted of the same old Chinese Junk....cheap jewelry and plastic toys.

As we walked from stall to stall I noticed that there was an absence of crowds in local businesses that stayed open. I stopped and chatted to a few business owners that hoped to get some passing trade, they said they were about to close as no one was coming to browse around. Some business owners, like the owner of Amics are furious as the locals can no longer get parking and have gone to other pubs further from the stalls.

What a disappointment the Strawberry Lights Festival has become, booming loud speakers and Chinese junk which I believe adds no value to the residents of Somerset West or Business Owners in Somerset West. I also asked the fans of The Helderberg Basin News and Info Blog what they thought of the lights see the many comments https://www.facebook.com/helderbergnews?ref=hl.

I think it is time for the residents and business owners in Somerset West to take a stand against the organisers of the event. The event should be properly managed and be very selective of stalls that want to trade and what they sell, like Southey Vines does.

Any way over the next month residents will be harassed by loud music, closed roads and crowds that bring no value at all to the Helderberg Basin.

Please feel free to comment....