Christmas lights could be left on another month or two

by Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 15^th January 2013

Tue 15^th Jan 2013

Alderley Edge Parish Council is considering leaving the Christmas lights on for another couple of months.

Councillors discussed when they should be switched off at this week's council meeting and decided that the white LED lights in the trees could remain lit at night until the end of February or when the clocks go forward in March.

Cllr Mary Maczkowiak said "People are asking me when the lights are going to go off or are they going to stay on because the village looks beautiful at night."

Cllr Melanie Connor added "There is a huge feeling of people who want them kept on all year or at least until it gets lighter but then they want something different at Christmas. It's got to better."

Cllr Mike Williamson responded "We are going to find out from LITE if there is a problem letting them run. They might turn round and say it is not a good idea leaving them on for two months or something."

He added "We want find out if there is a limit to how long we can leave them on. Then we'll tell them we want to leave them on while the evenings are still dark and we'll agree when we are going to switch them off. Maybe the end of February."

Do you think the Christmas light should be left on in the trees for the next couple of months, during the dark evenings, or switched off until next Christmas? Share your views via the comment box below.

Tags:: Alderley Edge Christmas Lights, Parish Council

Comments

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

Terry Bowes

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 3:14 pm

Don't get it at all !!
The council are switching street lights off in places they are really needed to save money.
Yet they want spend on lights where they are certainly not needed !!
Fred Carno springs to mind.

Vin Sumner

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 4:25 pm

Understands Terry's point , but do also agree makes village look good .... does anyone know the electricity costs , too many bulbs for me to count ..

Mark Dermody

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 4:28 pm

Terry I assume that the lighting in the village is LED and therfore consumes a lot less power than the street lighting your refering to. I think it looks amazing and yes they should stay on all year. I remember seeing tree lighting in New York and it creates a magical ambience.

Sarah Lane

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 4:33 pm

Turn them off or else it ruins the look for Christmas. The lights looked pretty on my tree but I don't want them up half the year. Just don't get the thought process behind leaving them on especially as funds are meant to be tight.

Jeremy Wright

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 4:53 pm

Please please please leave them on they look so good and make the village really stand out.
LEDs consume so little power it would be insignificant. Surely the businesses on the high street would like them to stay on.
I don't think it would detract from Christmas at all. It may force the council to get better Christmas trees and lights as they were pretty pathetic this Christmas.

Dominic Brown

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 5:08 pm

I think they look lovely and makes the village look even more amazing, I think they should definitely stay. Like people have said though it would lessen the affect they have at Christmas so I think possible something more spectacular would be needed over the festive season.

David Hadfield

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 5:23 pm

I just cannot understand these Council people ? (Cheshire East and Alderley Edge Council)
Whilst I have no objection in keeping the lights on for another 2 months whilst we're in the depths of winter (and they do add something really special to the village) why are some other Council members (Cheshire East) demanding we turn lights OFF to save money but yet are vitally important to safety and security in the village.
The whole subject is just beyond belief !

Alan R Davies

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 6:09 pm

I agree that they should stay on all year in evening darkness hours, budget permitting. In any case, I would have thought that the effect brings far more trade into the village restaurants than they cost to run. If there's a budgetary constraint, maybe the council should be asking for a contribution from the restaurants.

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 6:12 pm

When we were in Cyprus last year most restaurants had pink lights in their trees. Well I think they were fake trees with the lights built in. Anyway whatever they were they looked very pretty but you did not think of Christmas when you saw them. I personally think these lights although agreeing they look very pretty scream Christmas. If you were travelling through you would think someone had left the Christmas lights on by accident. Cheshire East have made sure street lighting has been turned off in numerous places so a whole row of trees still being lit up does seem a bit much.

Jon Williams

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 6:17 pm

Christmas lights, thats what they are, 15th January now ! turn them off !!!!!!!!!

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 7:08 pm

Is there any way readers could vote on this by simply clicking a button? Some people may not want to leave a full comment but would like to have vote on the website so the council could get a better idea of how more people feel or set up a Facebook survey to give to the council?

Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 8:03 pm

Hi Jeremy, to set up a survey on the site would take a considerable amount of work.

We realise some people would not want to leave a full comment but we are inviting those who do to share their opinion with other readers.

We were not trying to conduct a survey on behalf of the council, just inviting people to enter into a discussion.

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 8:23 pm

It is supposed to be bad luck to take down Christmas decorations after twelfth night. According to tradition they are now supposed to remain until next Christmas.

Sandy Marshall

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 8:57 pm

Keep the lights on --they enhance our lovely village these dark nights and make it a delightful place to dine, or merely drive home to!

Guy Beardsley

Tuesday 15^th January 2013 at 11:01 pm

They make the village look great. Leave them on. It will cost the council more in time discussing it than the cost of the electricity

Chris Jones

Wednesday 16^th January 2013 at 2:04 am

After the street lights you quite honestly couldn't have made this up.

Jo Murphy

Friday 18^th January 2013 at 4:19 pm

I like them.

Saturday 19^th January 2013 at 7:21 am

Agree with you Chris. Just about all the Council run services are being slashed. Jobs are/ have been lost from the council. Street lighting has been turned off in many areas for cost and environment reasons. School transport has been cut yet people want the Christmas lights to stay on in Alderley Edge because it makes the village look pretty. Amazing.

Glenn Hudson

Sunday 20^th January 2013 at 7:04 pm

Suspect it might be a good idea to consider leaving the LED lights for the reason made by Alan Davies. Anything that makes the village look more attractive will inevitably bring people into the village to shop / spend /eat etc. This has to be good for businesses and the local economy. The cost of these lights will be minimal compared to benefits (one would suspect) Anyone know the cost per week....minus of course the cost of taking them down and putting them up again next year ?

Monday 21^st January 2013 at 1:47 pm

I think it's on the Alderley Edge parish council website under accounts. Turn them off. People will be in Alderley with or without lights on trees.

Sarah Dalton

Wednesday 30^th January 2013 at 12:16 pm

I think the lights look lovely and should be left on. It doesn't have to be christmas to have lights on the trees does it? Anyway been to Parrs wood Cinema lately, they have had them for about 7 years!