Why Light Up Leigh will be a success, but do we deserve more by Enzo Harrison

November 27, 2025

I often remark, as I walk through my hometown of Leigh, how lucky am I to live in such a place. I need only go a few blocks before I see a familiar face in our local community – prompting me to stop and chat. While this is annoying when I’m running up the road in joggers to get more tinned tomatoes, on balance, it’s a good thing.

That’s why events in Leigh are so spectacular – particularly those run by locals, for locals. And this Friday will be no exception. ‘Light Up Leigh’ (as it is now called) has everything going for it. Restaurants and cafes open late, serving seasonal treats; live music in various venues and of course, obligatory carol singing at the community centre to fittingly mark the switching-on of the town’s Christmas lights. Perfect! Well… nearly.

Here’s the problem: the council isn't closing the road.

For many businesses in our Broadway, Leigh Lights is their biggest earner of the year. Without it, many would have to make tough decisions when the new year rolls around.

When the road was closed, Leigh Lights truly hit its stride. Children would queue in the street to see Father Christmas at Leigh ToyFair (sadly now gone). A parade would roll all the way from Leigh Road into the Broadway with drama and dance groups providing St Nick’s elves. Vendors would have their hot food and drink stalls in the street, like Jim’s Joint (sadly also gone) serving hot dogs. And who could forget the Corner Club’s snow machine on the roof? Snow would billow into and up the street while children chased it through the air. Magic. So why not do it properly and close the road?

Leigh-on-Sea Council have paid for new Christmas lights, which I’m sure will look great, but they couldn’t find the money for security and road closures, which is surely more important than new lights. But the council is not solely to blame. When local businesses were asked to contribute to a ‘Leigh Lights Fund’, efforts went awry. Now… what do we do about it? That’s where community comes in.

Why couldn’t a team of local business owners, community organisers and marketers all come together to arrange a funding scheme for Leigh Lights? For starters, a coherent rollout, social media presence and a predictable date every year could help. Together, a team could ensure that stalls serving similar treats were suitably far apart, musicians were booked to perform in advance and we all made the most of this beautiful evening.

Well, such a group already exists. And what I’ve outlined above is our plan.

My name is Enzo and I fancy myself as a community organiser of sorts. I’ve been attending meetings of local business owners and we all agree that it’s time we got serious about Leigh Lights. Mark my words: next year, the Broadway will be closed.

For now, let’s enjoy this year’s festivities and look ahead to an even brighter, merrier Leigh Lights next year.

Enzo Harrison - Independent candidate