Adelaide City Council looks to create new four-year Christmas plan after decorations were slammed as ‘povo’

All Adelaide City Council wants for Christmas is to shake its “drab” festive image after its decorations were slammed as “povo” last year. But it’s a gift that would cost ratepayers close to $200k.

All Adelaide City Council wants for Christmas is to shake its “drab” festive image and replace its decades old giant tree to make it more joyous in Victoria Square.

The council is considering whether to replace the 25m-tall tree, which was last year slammed by a prestigious event co-ordinator as “lacking any sort of Christmas joy”.

Atmosphere Events owner Sam Rice made headlines after he described the council’s decorations as “uninspired” and “povo” and said “Adelaide deserves better”.

Mr Rice told The Advertiser the council should aim for year-round tree lighting decorations along King William Rd, similar to Ginza in Japan, and a Christmas tree like Perth or Sydney.

How the Christmas tree looks during the day in Victoria Square. Picture: Supplied

“Perth has a great one, it has a lot of nice big decorations and it’s very achievable it just has to be planned out in advance,” he said. “All the cities have good trees except for us.”

Councillor Phil Martin told Tuesday night’s City Community Services and Culture Committee there was a view the council was “a bit lost” when it came to its decorations.

“There was a lot of criticism in the media and social media about our decorations – the magic deflating Santas in Rundle Mall and the fact we had a Christmas market in Victoria Square but not Rundle Mall, where it probably would have resulted in more foot traffic,” he said.

“There was angst about the Christmas tree because it looks so bloody awful during the day, colourful at night, but awful during the day.”

The council needs to create a new four-year Christmas plan with the current one set to expire this year. The administration has proposed the tree replacement be included in the plan, with detailed design in 2024/25 and purchased in 2025/26.

The plan would also include activities by the council and its subsidiaries, the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, which manages Rundle Mall, and the Central Market, with next year’s collective budget being $1.49m.

Inflatable Santas were part of Rundle Mall's Christmas decorations last year. Picture: Supplied

An example of the illuminated street banners proposed by Adelaide City Council.

Cr Martin proposed the council seek external advice to ensure the “segmented approach” to Christmas was best practice.

“Somebody ought to have a look at the way we are doing it to determine if there is a better way and whether we need to make some financial decisions – hard decisions – about whether it’s appropriate to have a Christmas tree in Victoria Square in this digital age,” he said.

“I know this is all sacrilege but we are at the end of the four year plan and here is the opportunity to say let’s have a look at it and make sure we’re doing it correctly.

“The commentary from a lot of friends is that the Christmas grinch could a better job in some parts of the city than we do.”

The majority of councillors did not support Cr Martin’s call for an external agency to provide advice, but some agreed investing partners needed to be sought.

Until then, the council staff planned to spend $193,000 this financial year to “replace and refresh” the tree’s current decorations and for 18 new illuminated street banners to link Victoria Square and Rundle Mall.

Elected members will vote on whether to approve the development of a new four-year Christmas plan at Tuesday night’s full council meeting.