Brecon’s Christmas festival will be a hybrid event this year to allow for guest safety as Wales continues on its path out of the pandemic.

After careful consideration, Brecon Town Council announced that Brecon With Bells On would not be able to go ahead in its “usual format” this year.

They day-long event, which involves the community as well as celebrity guests in recent years, usually culminates with the Christmas lights being switched on across the town.

In 2019 - when the last full festival took place - the lights were switched on by Welsh International and Cardiff Blues rugby player Josh Navidi after 2018’s Men Behaving Badly Star Neil Morrissey and Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley in 2017.

Despite not being able to host the usual full festival last year, the town council still held a virtual Christmas light switch on with various key workers and community figures pressing the legendary giant button individually, as well as the annual window decorating competition.

The town council’s Brecon With Bells On working group are “continuing to discuss arrangements for this year’s events” according to town clerk Fiona Williams, who said they are “erring on the side of caution” while looking at current restrictions and advice for events.

Ms Williams said: “For 2021, as with some other local events such as this year’s Jazz Festival, it is hoped to hold a hybrid event, with an online celebration and also a number of smaller scale events and activities around and about Brecon.

“At the moment, Powys County Council are not able to give any assurance about whether road closures will be approved for events and do not presently have authority to issue road closure orders for events.

“After careful consideration, Brecon Town Council have reluctantly concluded that “Brecon with Bells On” cannot safely proceed in its usual format in 2021, and instead has proposed that alternative smaller events will take place, which are considered manageable in accordance with the guidance, subject to any subsequent regulation changes being forthcoming.”

Updates will be available about the festival in due course, however anybody wishing to volunteer for Brecon with Bells On should email [email protected]