Irvine will not have a community-led Christmas light switch on this year, a former organiser confirmed this morning.
Community stalwart Sylvia Mallinson told Ayrshire Live the Christmas switch-on event has been cancelled due to lack of funds, organisation and broken lights.
The former Irvine Special Events Forum member said: "There is no initial group assigned to put on the show anymore and if Irvine are going to moan about it they need to pull their finger out and form a new committee.
"There isn't going to be anything until that's done.
"Around 80 percent of the lights don't work, it's a joke."
This is the third year in a row Irvine Christmas light event has been cancelled.
The 2020 show was called off due to Covid pandemic and then the 2021 extravaganza was shut down at the last minute due to Omicron fears.
Sylvia added: "I passed on the Christmas light show to the Irvine Youth Forum a few years ago.
"They've recently moved to a new hub in Bridgegate and I think they were overwhelmed with the work they had to do there.
"I was asked back in September but turned it down when I was told there was no budget.
"Normally everything is organised by summer but it was so last minute. I held an emergency meeting in September which was open to the public to see who wanted to help and two people showed up.
"I would've loved to have put on another show but there was no budget and this really shouldn't be left down to just one person.
"If Irvine really wants to have a switch-on they need to come together and form a new committee. It can't be left to one person, it needs to be set up right."
Sylvia, who runs Break-A-Leg drama troupe, started organising the Christmas lights in 2012.
She added: "I'm focusing on the upcoming panto of the Wizard of Oz and a number of events at the Vineburgh, if I were to take this on again I would be left with all the responsibility and that's not great.
"This really needs to be worked on from January. I'm happy to guide any new forum formed to help them apply for funding and share my expertise but I don't want to be left with sole responsibility myself.
"We'll see what happens next year."
Irvine Youth Forum has been contacted for comment.
North Ayrshire Council have not confirmed when the lights will be erected in the town centre yet.
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