A CAMPAIGN to fund the final phase of lighting up Troon at Christmas is now moving into full swing.

Troon Business Association need to find £3,600 in all to fund year three of the venture. This will include three new light fittings for Church Street, installing the existing nine, hire of a cherry picker vehicle and two electricians as well as additional adaptors, pat testing (to show that they are safe, repairs and storage and taking down the lights.

Ayrshire Roads Alliance will arrange the switch on and provide the town with the tree and its lights. So far £1162 has been raised, including £500 from the summer holiday carnival, £382 from a bag pack and £280 from a community crowd funder Thanks go to Gift Horse, The Mane Man, Arc de Bijoux (please let us know if you have donated)

There are donation buckets in Arc de Bijoux on Ayr Street and The Mane man on church Street.

A Troon Business Association spokeswoman said: “Some members of the community have been very generous. I estimate we still have £2000 to reach before 18 November. If local businesses could donate £20-30 or whatever they can afford we can fund this for the town. Thanks to everyone who is helping.”

She added: “This is stage three of the project, with the first two coming in 2016 and 2017.

“We launched the Troon Christmas lights project in 2015. Troon Business Association took on project to have community Christmas lights. They took on all responsibility and funding to bring complete new lights.

“In year one, we had 40 lampposts with braids and twists, in year two we had all the lights at the library and a tree at the cross and added lights to Ayr Street and Portland Street.

“This year we will make sure we put them all back up and that Church Street has lights. They have only three lampposts so that should be okay.

“We have relied heavily on businesses from the community and got grant funding from South Ayrshire Council for two years and are grateful for that. The council provide the tree and lights at the town hall and switch them on.

“The lights are the responsibility of the community and we still will need £2000. The biggest cost is putting up lights, testing them and bringing them down it is £150 per light fitting each year.”

The spokeswoman continued: “With seven or eight weeks to go until Wintertainment (scheduled for November 18) we are still sitting with a £2000 shortfall.

“We have been faced with some criticism but it hasn’t deterred those who want to see this through. People are quick to moan but its’s down to the community to have lights. I would hate to see Troon without lights.

“It took Prestwick five years to get their lights. This is the community and the council working as the council switch on the tree and pay electricity. Running the town’s lights only costs £30 a month because they are such low energy. We are grateful for Troon Community Council, who run Wintertainment and will provide a donation. People don’t realise how much they put in.”

Those who would like to help should note online bacs payments can be made directly to Troon Business Association 800988, 00917577) or log on to https://www.gofundme.com/light-up-troon-2018