00:00Walsall's famous illuminations could be on the way back after the council confirmed
00:05it's in advanced talks about reviving the event at the Arboretum. The display was once one of the
00:11borough's biggest annual attractions bringing families to Walsall for light shows, lakeside
00:17displays and other performances. Now the first illuminations were held in 1951 as part of the
00:24Festival of Britain and the event continued every autumn for decades. It last ran in 2008 before
00:31being formally scrapped in 2011. At the time the council said falling visitor numbers meant the
00:38event was losing six-figure sums each year. Now Councillor Nikki Barker, Walsall Council's
00:44portfolio holder for regeneration, says discussions with organisers have progressed significantly
00:50since they began in August. She says the authority is now in advanced talks and hopes there will be
00:55positive news soon, although she has stressed there is still work to do before any return is confirmed.
01:02Barker says the illuminations hold a special place in the memories of generations of Walsall families
01:09and argues that protecting local heritage was one of the commitments made by the reform
01:14administration before it took control of the council. At the moment no date has been announced for a
01:20possible return and there are no confirmed details about the format, the cost or the scale of any revived event.
