STROUD traders are feeling frosty after the no-show of Stroud Town Council’s festive street lights.

Instead traders have been offered a free-of-charge Christmas tree.

Mayor Amanda Moriarty said the company which installed the ageing lights went out of business and a new installer could not be found in time.

Record shop owner Simon Vincent from Trading Post insisted: “It’s a joke.They have known this would develop for years and they could have saved for new lights.

“I can’t think of other towns of a similar stature in this situation.”

Pete Blythe of Ripcord and Cornflower and Calico in the High Street, said it was a ‘shame’ there would be no lights there this year.

“They will be putting the trees up - they are doing their best - but it’s not the same,” he said.

Simon Powell of Brilliant Disguise and The Toy Shop felt the trees were a positive step, but hoped to see the lights return next year.

He said: “The trees are a positive step and I can only hope it is an interim measure before new lights next year.

“The quality of the Christmas lights over the past number of years has been disgraceful. They needed dragging in to the 21st Century - they were like something from the 1970s.”