Great Yarmouth Town Hall bathed in blue light to praise key workers on coronavirus frontline

Great Yarmouth Borough Council switched on the decorative lights at 8pm last night as part of the weekly nationwide "Clap for Carers", with the Victorian clock tower, clock face and entrance lamps now lit in blue every evening for the time being.

Among those who witnessed the switch-on and participated in the "Clap", while observing social distancing, were Cllr Carl Smith, the council leader, Cllr Michael Jeal, the mayor, and Sheila Oxtoby, the chief executive. Local police and fire officers also attended in emergency services vehicles, with blue flashing lights, and showed their support.  

Cllr Smith said: "The whole community, across the borough and Norfolk, has come together to respond to this challenge, and the council is proud to be part of that, working alongside other agencies, our voluntary and community sector and businesses.

"Inside, the Town Hall has become a food distribution hub supporting local foodbanks, so it's fitting that the outside is now a blue beacon of our whole community's thanks and recognition of the sterling work everyone is doing, including local NHS staff and carers, to keep people safe and save lives."

Cllr Jeal said: "Lighting up our landmark Town Hall pays tribute symbolically to the dedicated local NHS staff, carers, council staff, other key workers, volunteers and businesses who are working hard and, in some cases, potentially risking themselves, to support their community.

"We were all really proud to see the lights switch on and to participate in the Clap for Carers. It was great to see the Town Hall bathed in blue."