Christmas has been scaled down by councils as they pull the plug on festive events because of coronavirus.
Festive light switch-ons have been cancelled in East Lothian, North and South Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, South Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and Highland council areas.
The popular Winter Festival in Perth will not go ahead, nor will Santa’s grotto at the Summerlee Museum of Industrial Life in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire.
Ticket sales for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay party were suspended in July but the event will go ahead in a reduced format. The city’s Christmas market will also be scaled back.
Local authorities which have scrapped official switch-on events in places such as Ayr, Paisley and Inverness will still be providing Christmas lights.
East Lothian Council leader Willie Innes said: “There is a greater risk of coronavirus spread as we move into winter and so gathering many local people together for community events, even outdoors, poses a risk to public health.”
Perth & Kinross Council said: “We will have Christmas lights, but no ceremony to switch them on.”
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