Cambridge Business Improvement District (BID) announced yesterday (4/11) that their annual Christmas light switch-ons will not occur this year, due to the rise of Covid-19 cases in the area.

The events, which were set to take place on Thursday 18th November at the Cambridge Train Station and Sunday 21st November at Market Square, generally bring in a large number of spectators, and are a city tradition to kick off the festive season.

“The decision has not been taken lightly,” Tweeted a spokesperson for Cambridge BID.

“But following the announcement that Cambridge has been moved to an Enhanced Response Area and Covid-19 cases are on the rise it felt like the responsible action to take”.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough was made an Enhanced Response Area (ERA) on Monday (1/11), after rising infection rates in older people and growing pressure on local health and education services led Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council to ask the government to grant ERA status for a 5 week period before Christmas.

According to Public Health England statistics, Cambridgeshire’s infection rate in the seven days to October 30 is 445.8 cases per 100,000 people, with Peterborough’s an even higher 491.1.

The national average rate of infection as of October 30 is 413.9.

The festive spectacle will not be lost entirely, however, with Cambridge BID pledging to work with local radio station Star Radio “to ensure that all of the magic will still happen on air and online”.