CHRISTMAS lights in towns across Warwick district will on less this festive season to reduce costs and energy.
With Leamington’s Big Light switch-on set to take place this weekend, Warwick District Council (WDC) has announced that energy saving measures will be put in place this Christmas in the town, as well as in Kenilworth, Warwick and Whitnash.
WDC, along with Leamington Town Council and BID Leamington, are looking forward to supporting the switch-on on Sunday (November 6), which coincides with Diwali and Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurpurab, and hope it will bring some festive cheer to local residents and a boost to town centre businesses.
Coun Liam Bartlett, WDC spokesperson for arts and economy, said: “During challenging times, we felt that it was important to continue with the long-held tradition of Christmas lights. The ‘switch-on’ events that we have planned this year will give families a chance to enjoy some fantastic free entertainment and the light displays will help to increase footfall for local shops, salons, restaurants, cafes and pubs in the run up to and during the festive season.
“However, to save energy and costs we felt that it was appropriate to restrict the times the lights are on to the busier periods between 4pm and 11pm (4pm to 9pm in Whitnash), a reduction of 176 hours across the four towns. This is supplemented by the considerable savings we have already made by converting the lights to 100 per cent LED.”
The Mayor of Leamington, Coun Nick Wilkins added: “We want to support the festive celebrations in Leamington and the lights in the town are a welcome attraction for both residents and businesses. However, it’s important that we save energy and money where we reasonably can.”
Leamington’s Big Light switch-on event takes place on the Parade from 10am with a yuletide market and live music on the stage outside the Town Hall. The Chair of WDC, Coun Mini Kaur Mangat, will light the Myton Hospice Tree of Lights at 4pm, with the main lights being switched on at 5.30pm by the Mayor of Leamington, Commonwealth Games boxing gold medallist Lewis Williams and swimming bronze medallist Lauren Cox, as well as local barber Tony Eden who, on his 80th birthday, was invited to take part to mark his incredible 65 years of service.
Warwick’s festivities will begin with the Victorian Evening and light switch-on on Thursday November 24, with two events taking place in Kenilworth on Friday November 25 in High Street and Sunday November 27 in Warwick Road. Celebrations in Whitnash will take place outside the Plough and Harrow on Sunday December 4.
