Businesses in Helensburgh and Lomond always approach Christmas with hope and aspirations that the festive season will deliver on its potential to be a profitable period.

Our traders work hard to accrue profit which will help to see them through the traditionally quieter spending times of January and February.

There is no doubt that Christmas 2023 will be a critical time for many of our independent businesses as it has been a very tough trading year so far.

The Chamber is therefore delighted that some of its members are joining with other donors and sponsoring this year’s Christmas Lights spectacle which will bring a significant economic boost to local traders over the festive season and will continue to enhance the town through to the end of March.

Local volunteers, warmly welcomed by town businesses as the Helensburgh Elves, have raised funds to finance the Christmas Lights project, and they are delighted that the balance sheet looks good and the fruits of their labour will be seen at the big Switch On, this Saturday, November 18.

READ MORE: Helensburgh volunteers work hard to install Christmas lights

The Christmas tree and all the lights are in place, the crib is in its usual spot and a huge number of local people are ready to celebrate the start of the festive season on Saturday when one of Helensburgh’s biggest events takes place in Colquhoun Square.

Santa will press the magic switch to turn Helensburgh into a “Christmas Town” for the next two months.

The Christmas Market, the fairground rides, the street food stalls, the local entertainers on the stage, the cuddly characters enjoying a friendly hug and Santa on his fire engine will showcase Helensburgh as a great place to live and do business - this is what a small town can achieve when the community pulls together to achieve a common goal.

Businesses have sponsored the Christmas tree including labour for its installation, £6,000 has been raised for new tree lights and fairy lights for the other trees. 

And Argyll and Bute Council has been unstinting in its partnership support, not only for transporting the crib after its trip to the “Repair Shop”, but for financial support for the Switch On event and for a very positive and supportive approach to the new booking system for events held in Colquhoun Square. Community cohesion by the bucketful.

Visit Scotland repeatedly reminds businesses that people just want to get out and about in these difficult times and enjoy some of the feel good factor that events generate.

Helensburgh is up there with the best of them and plans are already in place for more Chamber supported events in 2024.