Cristina Hodgson
SEVILLA City Council is undecided about what to do with the city’s Christmas lights.
In fact, Sevilla is the only Andalucian capital that does not yet have a lighting plan, even though the lights were installed over a month ago.
Last September the municipal government put out a tender to contract the lighting of up to 284 streets, even extending the decorations, with a budget of almost €1million.
Now, with the second wave of the pandemic sweeping through the country, everything is on hold.
The Christmas lights are a focus of public attraction and aid in reactivating the economy, especially in the historic centre of Sevilla, however, with coronavirus regulations in place which see a curfew at 10 pm., and shops as well as hotels closing at six pm., the City Council sees little point in illuminating areas which are closed off.
Additionally, seeing the uproar cause by the crowding in Malaga due to the Christmas lighting, and the potential health risk, it seems prudent to avoid any activities that can lead to the agglomeration of people.
This weekend, together with Malaga, the Christmas lighting was also inaugurated in Huelva and Cadiz.
Even Granada, the city most affected by this second wave of the COVID-19 and the one that has suffered the most restrictions, knows what to do with the lights, which are switched on this Sunday.
Jaen will switch its lights on December 3 and Cordoba and Almeria on the 5th.
The traditional date for Sevilla to switch on its Christmas lights coincides with the holiday of December 8, the day of the Inmaculada Concepcion, this year however, the municipal government will most likely wait until after December 10 to make a decision, the date set by the Junta to reassess the situation, take new measures or to extend those that are already in place.
