THERE will be no Christmas decorations around a shopping centre in Hereford this year as the company cannot afford them.

The manager of Maylord Shopping Centre said there was no money set aside in the budget for festive displays managing agents Lee Baron.

Colin Bell, who only took up the post on Monday, said it was based on finance in the current climate.

"The budget was already set and the people I report to said there was no provision in the budget this year," he said.

"We will have to wait and see what happens, but the brief I've got in terms of the budget is that there is no provision."

The toilets at the centre were shut earlier this year due to financial pressures, but this decision was made before Mr Bell was appointed as the manager.

"The council used to have theirs (toilets nearby in the city) and shut them," he added.

"The extra burden on Maylord became financially impossible to maintain the centre's toilets.

"I'm hoping we'll have a review and be able to do something."