A Christmas creche for Perth city centre shoppers has been cancelled after it emerged that it had cost nearly £90 per child to run.
The crche has hosted hundreds of children since it was set up by the council to encourage people into the city centre.
Parents could pay by the hour to drop their children off with trained professionals, giving them a chance to browse in peace for seasonal gifts.
But low usage over the past two years has seen the service scrapped by Perth Common Good Fund and the £12,000 cost diverted to the Christmas lights switch-on instead.
Councillor John Flynn said: “I’m disappointed the crche isn’t going to be provided. At least it’s being used and it’s a service some people are quite happy with because they could get on with their Christmas shopping.
“It was never envisaged that it would make money and I still think it’s worthwhile keeping on.”
The latest figures available show the crche was used by just 151 children in its 19 days of operation in 2011.
The year before, it had been open for five days fewer but was used by 186 children. The cost per child in 2010 was £54.42, which rocketed to £89.57 the following year.
One independent city centre business owner, who asked not to be named, said: “This is a blow anything that cuts down on the potential of shoppers visiting the centre is a blow.
“The crche worked for some people because they could drop the kids and then either get the kids’ presents without them being there or have the chance to browse without them pulling at your hand.
“A lot of the independent shops in Perth are smaller and not ideal for buggies and two or three kids at a time, so if there is any way to leave them for a couple of hours, it has to be seized on.
“It may have cost a lot or been underused, but I don’t think it was properly advertised. Like so much, the council could have done more with it and helped out the shops.”
Meanwhile, traders on a Perth city centre street have been guaranteed they will not suffer another Christmas blackout this year.
Businesses on South Methven Street blasted the council for its “bah, humbug” attitude last December.
While the rest of the city centre was festooned in a seasonal glow, traditional festive lights were nowhere to be seen on the vital thoroughfare.
The council said the lack of cheer was caused by high winds damaging the lights the year before.
The scale of the destruction was not appreciated until they were taken out of storage to be hung in November and there was no time to buy replacements.
But Jack Coburn, city centre councillor and the convener of Perth Common Good Fund which pays for the decorations said they will be returned for 2013.
He said: “I have a guarantee South Methven Street will have lights this year. They didn’t have enough time last year to get new ones and put them in place.
“They didn’t know the points they needed for the lights were different, but everything is already paid for and we’re good to go.
“I can give that assurance. I said it wasn’t good enough and I give the guarantee that where they are stored and how they are brought down (in future) will be changed.”