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 Style of street lights that could be on way
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Street gets Christmas lights after years of gloom
IT has the makings of a motion picture: big, bad high street chains refuse to pay for Christmas lights, sending expectant Tiny Tims all over St John’s Wood into raging tantrums, only for heroic neighbourhood champions to sleigh-ride in and save the day.
For the past five years while other areas have enjoyed the annual tradition of the festive lights switch-on, St John’s Wood High Street has cut a sorry sight, with residents having to press their noses against window displays to get a glug of festive cheer.
And until this week, it looked like the same old story after major retailers on the street such as Gap, Holland & Barrett and Boots refused to cough up any contributions.
But councillors from Abbey Road and Regent’s Park wards have this year decided to set aside more than £5,000 each from their annual £100,000 “ward budgets” for 29 Christmas tree lights to hang on lampposts along the St John’s Wood High Street and in Circus Road.
Conservative Abbey Ward councillor Lindsey Hall said: “The lights will be subtle – they will be similar to the ones in Little Venice. The High Street has been so miserable for so long – we wanted to give the local retailers a happy Christmas.”
A planning application has already been submitted to Westminster Council and, barring any objections, the lights will be switched on by December 5 or 6.
Jean Pierre Bruno, owner of Bruno Menswear, said: “We have been fighting this for five years. We would be absolutely delighted of they put the lighting up this year.” |
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