HAMILTON'S business chamber has blamed fallout over business improvement association funding for the removal of Beaumont Street's decorative lighting.
Chamber president Nathan Errington said on Friday that the lights were removed after the council decided in May to sever the funding arrangement between the two organisations.
"Unfortunately the chamber was left with no other option then to remove the lights following council's decision," Mr Errington said.
"We are a volunteer group who have dedicated their time to activating the business strip but without funding we are unable to maintain this type of infrastruture project."
The organisations had been funded from a $1.3 million pool collected through a special business rate on traders in Hamilton, the CBD, Wallsend, New Lambton and Mayfield.
City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath has said the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce deal was terminated due to "significant breaches" identified in a confidential report.
