Staff at Congleton Town Council continue to work with key partners to ensure Remembrance Sunday and Christmas activities can go ahead in an adapted Covid-19 safe and secure format.

Earlier in the year, Congleton Town Council had held on to hope that by the end of 2020 the Covid-19 virus would be under control and that it may be possible to put on some of the events and festivals that are extremely popular in the town i.e. Remembrance Sunday and the Christmas Lights Switch On event.

Jackie MacArthur, deputy chief and officer and town marketing and events manager, gave councillors an update on the two events at Thursday's Congleton Town Council meeting of Environment and Community Committee.

Mrs MacArthur said: "It's a difficult subject that towns across the country have been struggling with."

A meeting has taken place with the Congleton Branch of the Royal British Legion and recognised that several groups and organisations within Congleton will want to lay wreaths on Remembrance Sunday.

Mrs MacArthur added: "We are looking at a way that can enable that to happen safely, as it stands rthe police will support events, but they have to be managed very carefully."

The meeting was told that plans are in place to close Lawton Street to traffic around the cenotaph area, have a barriered area where social distancing can be controlled and have a clear one-way system to groups from congregating and chatting after the event.

Mrs MacArthur continued: "We would have to be really heavy on the communications for this one because the groups and organisations that wish to lay a wreath, they would only have one representative and would have to be socially distanced in the barriered off area."

Talks have taken place with a local company about potentially filming the laying of wreaths and the playing of 'The Last Post' via a live stream.

However, due to the current Covid-19 restrictions, the normal parade wouldn't be able to go ahead and the town council will have to emphasise to the Congleton community that the "best thing they can do is to actually stay away".

With the event having to be passed by Cheshire East Councils', Event Safety Advisory Group, as it stands Cheshire East are currently happy with the town council's plans according to Mrs MacArthur, but there could be changes in the build up to the event.

Mrs MacArthur added: "Ultimately, whatever we organise if the police, public health or Cheshire East are not happy then we wouldn't be able to go ahead, but we would like to go ahead with something for Remembrance Sunday.

"Although very tough, we would be looking at the Town Mayor laying a wreath and anyone laying a wreath on behalf of their political party could do that, but apart from that we would have to ask councillors to stay away as well. The reception after the parade would not take place either.

"I think it is probably the best that we can do. It isn't the event we would like to do, but it is how we think we can manage it."

Cllr Kay Wesley said: "It is a shame about the new cenotaph and not being able to celebrate Remembrance Sunday in the usual way, I know a lot of people will feel a sense of loss."

Cllr Amanda Martin suggested decorating the town hall with a "giant poppy" or alternatively lighting up the building red and having a speech from Town Mayor Sally Ann Holland uploaded onto the town council's website.

Mrs MacArthur responded: "We do own a number of big poppies and normally the Streetscape team will use them to decorate the town. We have been great over the last few years decorating the town hall and turning it various colours for different organisations, so turning it red is a good idea."

Congleton's annual Christmas Lights Switch On event, at its peak period is jam packed with thousands of people in the town centre.

In the current climate towns across the UK are taking the tough decision to decorate their towns, but not hold a mass public event to celebrate the switch-on.

The Christmas working group believes that this is best course of action for Congleton.

The town will be decorated and sprinkled with Christmas cheer, and the town council wants to encourage visitors into Congleton, but Mrs MacArthur highlighted that it was paramount it was done in a "safe and controlled way".

Cllr Holland queried whether the Makers Market would be having a Christmas theme on 19th December.

Mrs MacArthur told the committee that conversations had taken place with shops about decorations, and plans were being explored for an ice sculptor to come into Congleton and create a piece of work, which residents could get a "selfie" with.

Mrs MacArthur stated that the town council was exploring various options to help bring people into the town and help the High Street with key trading months ahead.

Cllr Holland suggested bringing a temporary Christmas-themed mural to Congleton to attract visitors.