Format of Narrabri Chamber of Commerce Christmas Street Carnival open for discussion

Narrabri and District Chamber of Commerce has been seeking the views of Maitland Street businesses regarding its annual Christmas street carnival.

Chamber president Russell Stewart provided an update to members gathered at the monthly meeting on Tuesday evening.

Mr Stewart has been supplying main street businesses with surveys, seeking views about the future and format of the much-loved carnival.

He told the meeting, held at the Narrabri RSL, that he had received some good feedback from retailers, however, was seeking more responses via the survey.

The event is a massive undertaking by the chamber, costing $23,000 every year, and is sponsored by local business and industry.

Mr Stewart voiced concern with main street businesses closing for the night.

“This started 20 years ago as a shopping night,” Mr Stewart told the meeting.

“At the end of the day, it’s senseless spending that sort of money on a street carnival if the businesses don’t support it.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into this.”

Mr Stewart acknowledged that he and the chamber were happy to put in the work required for the benefit of businesses and the broader community.

“It’s not supported by the people it’s meant to be supporting,” he said.

“As a group, we need to decide where we’re going with the Christmas street carnival.”

Of the businesses he had spoken to, Mr Stewart said no opinions had been voiced about staging the carnival on a Friday evening.

Maitland Street business proprietor Tony Longworth, a long-time chamber member and supporter of the festivities, told the meeting that Friday evenings worked well.

Chamber members discussed several options, including moving the festivities to the next block of Maitland Street, between Doyle and Lloyd Street, including or not including amusement rides and utilising side streets.

Mr Stewart told the meeting the amusement rides had been included several years ago as a way of boosting street carnival numbers,

“Nothing’s off the table,” Mr Stewart said, saying the chamber was open to feedback and ideas about the future of the carnival.

“I don’t want it to keep going the way it is.”

Mr Stewart also re-emphasised that the event’s primary purpose was to encourage people to shop locally.

The matter is due for discussion at next month’s chamber meeting.

While the Christmas street carnival was the primary point of discussion at the meeting, Mr Stewart also praised Narrabri Shire Council for successfully hosting last week’s NarraBRIGHT festivities.

Mr Stewart highlighted council’s success in securing state government funding while also acknowledging the work of small business liaison Gillian Goddard.

Concerns were also voiced about the footpath cleaning schedule for Maitland Street.