Christmas lights still up as warmest day forecast
BBCChristmas lights are still hanging above city streets on what is forecast to be the warmest day of the year so far.
Meteorological spring began on Sunday but glittery silver decorations are still strung between buildings at The Cross and on Gloucester's gate streets.
Gloucester City Council said there had been problems finding somewhere to store the lights, as they used to be kept at Eastgate Shopping Centre which is being cleared to make way for the Greyfriars redevelopment.
However, the council said a new site had been found and the lights, which remain switched off, were set to be removed next week.
Thursday is forecast to be the warmest day of 2026 so far, with highs of 16C and sunshine expected in Gloucester.
Councillor Rebecca Trimnell said it was "really bizarre" that the Christmas lights were still up, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
They were first turned on as part of the annual Lantern Parade on 15 November 2025, more than four months ago.
"It might be worth keeping them up until Christmas if it is going to cost too much for them to come down," Trimnell said.
"You kind of forget they are there now."
Councillor Pam Tracey questioned whether the council had the manpower to remove the lights, which she said "need to come down".
"It's all gone lackadaisical," she said.
"We are going into the first day of spring on 21 March."
A council spokesperson said various storage options had fallen through before its new location was secured.
