Humbug!

We're famous. Chichester's in the news today. But for the wrong reasons.

The truth is that there are no lights because the local shops have no spare cash - as a result of massive rates imposed by the council and even more massive rents set by the landowner, the Church of England.

So given that essentially you have government officials and churchmen counting their money over a slap-up feast whilst the rest of us shiver in the dark, bleak midwinter, I can't think of anything more festive.... in the Dickensian sense.

[nb the mobility scooter is very typical of Chichester. On pension day it always kicks off here - Hell's Grannies on wheels.]

[oh, and cynical work, Mr BBC cameraman. If you'd have pointed your camera in the opposite direction you would have seen a [url=http://www.blipfoto.com/view.php?id=830759&month=11&year=2010]nice, big, decorated, lit Christmas tree[/url]. But you knew that.]