However, the owner of Castlegate Newsagents William Gatt has hit back, saying that he will not give in to pressure to remove the contentious window dressing.

Des Cheyne, owner of the Eastside Shopping Centre, was out of town over the weekend and could not be reached to comment before the Banffshire Journal went to press.

The church group said that the nature of the displays in both premises could be perceived as promoting an unhealthy interest in the occult and was disrespectful to Christian beliefs.

Secretary Fiona Stewart said: "We were alarmed by the nature of the Castlegate window display and the entrance to the Eastside Shopping Centre.

"The displays relate to cemeteries and, as Christians, we take the view that they are disrespectful to our faithful departed.

"We have no problem with children dressing up and having fun at Hallowe'en, but we are concerned that these displays are particularly morbid."

She added: "The word Hallowe'en derives from the term 'All Hallow's Eve' and is the date before the Feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls, when Christians respectfully remember all the saints and martyrs and people who have died throughout the centuries.

"We do not think the manner of these displays is in keeping with the respectful remembrance of the faithful departed."

However, Mr Gatt, himself from a Christian background, says he is at a loss to understand the claims that his window display is offensive.

He told the Journal: "I couldn't believe it, I thought it was a joke. I had to read the letter three or four times before I could comprehend what they were saying.

"I went to considerable expense to create the window, to do something that's nice. There's no way I'm giving in to these pressures. I'm not removing it."

"I checked Hallowe'en in the dictionary too, and it said it was a time for children to dress up as ghouls and ghosts. We've had a lot of very positive comments about that window, and the folk I've shown the letter to just can't believe it.

"We've always been a supportive shop and been involved in things in the town. We're gobsmacked."

Mr Gatt said he was contemplating writing a letter to his local councillor to voice his concerns.

Part of the Castlegate window display shows an eerie cemetery scene with skulls, skeleton and a decomposing corpse.

Greeting customers inside the entrance to the Eastside Shopping Centre is a giant demonic figure with glowing red eyes standing between gravestones, beneath a sign for the cemetery, and beside a real bubbling cauldron.

* Are the Hallowe'en displays in Castlegate Newsagents and the Spotty Bag shop offensive? Go to 'The Big Vote' to have your say.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---