Preparations are being made to see if Great Yarmouth could hold four weekends of festive fun at Christmas time - at a provisional cost of £148,000.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has drawn up proposals to enhance its Christmas fun from its one weekend Christmas Fayre to four weekends full of activities.

In a document called Christmas Festival council officers say £148,000 may be needed to fund the four weekends, which may include a light projection show, pagodas, street performers, an ice sculpture and the possibility of the town’s Christmas tree being relocated from the market place to outside the Minster.

MORE; watch town’s festive lights switch-onThe paper says a second smaller tree may then be placed in the market place to enhance the town’s overall atmosphere.

The borough council is looking to external funding for the proposed Christmas Festival.

As an example the paper says the first weekend of the festival could involve the arrival of Father Christmas and a festive lights switch-on, the start of the Christmas fayre and the opening of a grotto experience.

The second weekend could see pagodas set up for new traders, street performers and what is called a “full light projection story”, which would feature a town centre building.

The examples of activities say the third weekend could see the pagodas and grotto continue, with the introduction of an ice sculpture exhibition.

Finally the last weekend on December 22/23 could see another light projection featuring Santa leaving with the other attractions already mentioned.

The report then adds: “In order to make this a wider event it is suggested that consideration is given to the relocation of the large Christmas tree to the green outside the Minster on Temple Road.”

It adds the tree would provide a “focal point” and a second smaller tree suggested for the market place would “enhance the overall atmosphere”.

The report says: The programme will be designed to maximise footfall to the town centre and offer visitors the opportunity to experience something different on each weekend.”

The paper is set to be fully discussed at a special meeting of the borough council’s economic development committee on Tuesday, March 13. Permission has been granted for council officers to investigate the development of the festival, with external funding in mind.