How would you like the village to be lit up this Christmas?

Over recent months, a Parish Council working group led by Cllr Liz Marshall, Cllr Rachael Grantham and Cllr Craig Browne has been looking at ways of improving the Christmas lights in our village.

Councillor Craig Browne explained "A catalyst in this decision has been the fact that the existing tree lights on London Road have reached the end of their natural life and are not expected to function beyond this year.

"Last year the Parish Council invested in new lights for the three Christmas Trees (one at the junction of Ryleys Lane, one at the junction of Macclesfield Road and one at Wood Gardens); ideally we would have liked to replace the tree lights on London Road this year, but the cost of doing so has proven prohibitive, meaning that we need more time to fundraise for this project."

This year they have been working with a range of suppliers to obtain designs and costings for decorative lights on the lamp columns along London Road - from the junction with Ryleys Lane to the junction with Macclesfield Road.

Local businesses have helped to shortlist the various options, which are now being put to local residents for your feedback.

Local residents are now being invited to indicate your order of preference from the shortlist of three designs, by following the link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CDTGQF3.

The supply costs are the same regardless of which option is chosen and are in the region of £5,000 to cover the 14 lamp columns concerned.

The survey will remain open until Monday 26th August and the Parish Council hope to publish the results on Tuesday 27th August.

Share your views on the proposed options via the comment box below.

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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Mandy Parr
Tuesday 20th August 2019 at 6:53 am
Fantastic. Will definently brighten up the village. I like the moon and star design.(3rd photo)
Fiona Doorbar
Tuesday 20th August 2019 at 9:39 am
Shame there is no option for not liking any of them on the survey. The village will look like Blackpool with these installations.
Adriana Galimberti-Rennie
Tuesday 20th August 2019 at 11:40 am
My choice: the middle light. It has a traditional and elegant feel which should work well with the surrounding buildings.
Sue Trotter
Tuesday 20th August 2019 at 11:56 am
We have the first one in Anlaby near Hull and everyone thinks they look like icecream cornets !
Duncan Herald
Tuesday 20th August 2019 at 12:16 pm
Number 3
Linda Booth
Tuesday 20th August 2019 at 10:07 pm
3 but I like the lights in the trees better.
Giles Geddes
Wednesday 21st August 2019 at 2:04 pm
First of all, thanks once again to the Parish Council for their sterling work and inviting feedback.

I looked at the survey but I'm afraid I couldn't submit a response as I'm not particularly keen on any of them. The tree lights (when working and on all the trees) look fantastic and in keeping with the village. The suggested designs are a bit 'Blackpool' (thanks Fiona). Are they just a stop-gap until funds are raised for renewed tree lights?
Graham McLelland
Thursday 22nd August 2019 at 11:56 am
I do like the tree lights but next choice would be no 3
Diana Bullock
Thursday 22nd August 2019 at 3:34 pm
I prefer, as before, the lights in the trees. I do not like the lights shown, as I think it will look a bit like Blackpool.
Craig Browne
Thursday 22nd August 2019 at 3:52 pm
Hi all,

Thank you for your comments. The column decorations would be supplied on a three-year contract; at the end of the three years, we could either select a different design or decide to dispense with them (having again asked people for their views).

Ideally we would have liked to replace the tree lights this year, but the lowest cost we have been quoted for them is approximately £30,000 which far exceeds our budget and therefore we need a further year over which to fundraise for replacement tree lights.

Of course, we could have chosen not to invest in the column decorations; however, given the real possibility that the existing tree lights will fail this year, this would leave us with a Christmas Lights Switch-On event at which there was nothing to switch on!

Best wishes,
Craig
Alan Brough
Saturday 24th August 2019 at 7:01 am
Craig,

That would be unthinkable.

Imagine the huge disappointment of the village children if they were denied the opportunity of gazing in awe as the latest Real Housewife Of Cheshire / WAG counts us (stutteringly) down to the start of the festive season.

I (for one) couldn’t countenance this break with tradition.

Option 3 please.
Tony Haluradivth
Sunday 25th August 2019 at 4:25 pm
Thanks for giving us all the costings Craig and if the tree lights are too prohibitive at the moment we in our household prefer photo 3 also. It is the prettiest and the lights look a little warmer too than the cold white bulbs on the old lights. It seems odd discussing Xmas on a warm holiday weekend but we know how the festive season creeps up on one ;))
Duncan Herald
Friday 30th August 2019 at 8:59 am
This may seem silly, but have the tree lights been tested for this year i.e. has there been an attempt to turn them on?

Also have you noticed that in one or two places, the tree lights are 'sagging' out of the trees and so need to be re-instated and it need not cost anything; I did it once by borrowing a step-ladder from a shop and just pushed the lghts back from whence they had 'escaped (seemples).