EXETER faces having no Christmas lights in the High Street this year because the city's major stores are refusing to pay for them, the Echo can reveal.

The cash-strapped city council wrote to traders asking them to contribute to the festive lights more than a month ago.

It explained that it could not afford to fund them this year because of budget constraints.

But with time running out it has so far received little response.

And council leaders said the city will not get a display this year unless there is a sudden change of heart.

The Echo is today calling on store bosses to stump up the money needed for the lights.

We are urging readers to fill in the coupon on Page 2 to help ensure the popular display goes ahead as usual.

The coupons will be presented to the council to help in its negotiations with stores.

Last year the authority spent more than £50,000 providing the lights and lighting-up ceremony.

The event, which coincides each year with the start of late-night shopping, was attended by thousands of people.

John Harvey, Exeter's city centre manager, told the Echo: "The businesses seem to have the idea that the city council will cave in and provide the money – but quite clearly it won't as there is nowhere for it to get the money from.

"I am working 101 per cent to try to broker a deal. But these are some of the hardest negotiations I have ever been involved in since becoming city centre manager. I haven't given up hope – but I am running out of time."

Mr Harvey added: "We did say at the time to those businesses who voted against the Business Improvement District (BID) that this would be a funding vehicle not to just provide the lights but to improve them, and that if we didn't win the BID then there would be no other sources for Christmas lights.

"I don't think it is unreasonable to expect businesses to pay towards the cost, but these are tough times.

"Exeter will still be a wonderful place to do Christmas shopping – but it will be a loss not to see any Christmas lights in High Street."

If the talks fail Exeter's only festive lights will be in Princesshay and the Guildhall Shopping Centre.

Pete Edwards, leader of the city council, said: "With the present feedback I am getting it doesn't look as though we will be having Christmas lights – the businesses in High Street don't seem to want them.

"The final decision will be taken soon."

Historically, the lights were paid for by traders, with the city council making up any shortfall.

But increasingly in recent years it is the city council which has been picked up the tab.

The authority had to find cuts of £2.4m from this year's budget and decided no longer to pay for the festive lights and switching-on ceremony to help balance the books.

The cuts were made after a public consultation, which revealed that 31 per cent of those who took part wanted the council to protect the lights budget.

Jonathan Baumber, retail director for Specsavers in Exeter, is among those who have agreed to contribute.

Mr Baumber said: "We feel that as part of the business community Christmas is a very important time.

"Exeter needs to attract shoppers from other towns and cities and for High Street not to be lit at Christmas would be a real shame.

"It would be awful for the High Street and there just would not be the right sort of festive atmosphere in the city centre."

Tamsin Hannan, manager of fashion retailer Musto, said it also agreed to contribute.

She said: "It is a shame for shoppers and retailers if there are no Christmas lights – High Street would look appalling. We need that Christmas atmosphere."

A spokesman for Marks & Spencer said: "We have received a request asking for help with donations towards this year's Christmas lights, which we are currently reviewing and working with the council on."

A spokesman for Lloyds bank confirmed it had received a request from the council regarding the Christmas lights, but had yet to make a decision on whether to contribute.

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