The show will go on this Christmas! (Though in a different format)

Christmas in Godalming will look very different this year, with no big lights switch-on ceremony in the High Street, and the festive market moved to the Burys Field.

The town council has been forced to make the changes to its festive programme as the country still battles the Coronavirus pandemic.

Now town council officers are looking at alternative ways to mark the festive season.

In a report to the authority's Policy and Management Committee, officers say it 'cannot be assumed that mass gatherings will be permissible by November', adding: "Besides being fun, Godalming's festivals and events offer a host of economic and social benefits to our community. This is especially important in these difficult times."

Suggestions for an alternative 2020 Christmas event include a two-day socially-distanced market on the Burys Field starting on 21st November. Stalls would be positioned on the field three metres apart, with wide avenues to allow for social distancing. The event would be ticketed to control numbers, although tickets would be free.

Santa would also have to keep his distance, with "activities to allow children to engage within protocols" according to the report.

The town's festive lights would be turned on during the market, with no big switch-on event, which has in the past attracted large crowds.

There are hopes that live music can be provided if government guidelines allow, although the provisional plans are for seasonal music to be piped through speakers on the field.

Options and ideas are still being explored by the council. Council leader Paul Follow told Nub News: "We want to support our local economy and local business in the High Street but we will still have to be mindful of keeping people safe as a priority."