FOR years the Christmas lights in York were considered a great disappointment.

For such a fine historical city, known throughout the world for its ancient charms, the festive illuminations cast a dim glow.

In his time as Lord Mayor, Councillor Derek Smallwood took such complaints on board, saying: "Year after year, this beautiful city, that leant itself so well to a Dickensian display of lights, has failed so miserably."

Local complaints rumbled on and then the city was presented with the ultimate humiliation.

In 1997, Towton, a tiny village near Tadcaster, which you can drive through in two minutes, was said to have out-shone York with its splendid Christmas lights.

York tried to answer the complaints with a hi-tech display that projected computerised images on to the walls of prominent buildings in the city. Sadly, the technology wasn't up to it and the innovative project collapsed amid much embarrassment.

Christmas in York seemed to be a low-wattage affair and in 1998 Coun Smallwood used his time as Lord Mayor to put matters right. He raised more than £20,000 in a Christmas lights campaign, a sum matched by the council.

York was properly lit up for once that year, setting higher standards for the following years. But now, with Christmas fidgeting on the horizon once more, we learn that two Christmas lights ceremonies are being switched off this year.

There will be no ceremony at Monk's Cross, where two years ago a crowd approaching 15,000 turned up to see Big Brother star Craig Phillips perform the switch-on. And no event will this year set Christmas rolling at the Coppergate Centre, where York's panto dame Berwick Kaler did the honours last year.

While no one would surely want York to be lit up like Blackpool, it would be a shame if the Christmas lights began to go dim again.

The big switch-on gives impetus to the festivities so we hope that whatever replaces the two abandoned ceremonies still has a bit of sparkle about it.

Updated: 10:23 Thursday, September 26, 2002