TIGHTFISTED national retail companies have been branded scrooges for failing to support the annual Christmas lights in the heart of Woodbridge. An appeal to raise £3,000 for lights in the Thoroughfare, has failed and there will be no lights this Christmas.

TIGHTFISTED national retail companies have been branded scrooges for failing to support the annual Christmas lights in the heart of Woodbridge.

An appeal to raise £3,000 for lights in the Thoroughfare, has failed and there will be no lights this Christmas. The money-spinning Christmas Fayre, which brings in thousands of pounds and hundreds of shoppers, will also be abandoned because there are not enough volunteers to organise the event. The Summer Fayre also fell by the wayside.

However, the Market Square will as usual be glowing with festive lights on small Christmas trees and there is a hope the Thoroughfare could have some small trees.

But Woodbridge Community Council, which offered £500 towards the Thoroughfare's lights, is very disappointed that people have not supported the chamber of commerce, organisers of the Thoroughfare lights.

Peter Bacon, the council's spokesman, said: ''Apparently only the small shopkeepers are willing to help with their share of the costs of the lighting, as some of the larger national-name premises have a tight-fisted policy of paying nothing at all towards the festive celebrations.

''So it seems that Scrooge has won and our pleasant little town will be one of the very few in the country without a vestige of Christmas cheer this year. A truly shameful state of affairs.''

Neville Stein, a new retailer who runs Les Chocolats Belges, Thoroughfare, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, said: ''The problem seems to be through a lack of interest in what the chamber of commerce is about from everyone.

''It is a shame we are not having lights, a shame we can not get it together to get a street fayre and I think the lights do enhance the Christmas shopping ambience. I will be putting lights in my shop window but it would be better if we had a co-ordinated approach.''