Light projections to add colour to new council Christmas lights plan

Bath & North East Somerset Council has announced new four-year framework contracts for the provision of Christmas lights across the area.

Field & Lawn, one of the UK’s largest and leading independent providers of festive lighting will be providing traditional Christmas lighting. In addition, Fineline Lighting Ltd has also been contracted to project animations onto some streets, and illuminate historic buildings to showcase Bath’s architecture, reducing both installation and energy costs as well as emissions. Fineline has been one of Glastonbury Festival's chosen suppliers for more than 25 years.

Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of the Council, said: “In the current climate we need to do everything we can to support visitors and businesses. I am delighted the council has secured these new, flexible Christmas lights contracts for the next four years. Light Projections have grown in popularity and we can now complement the traditional lights with innovative, sustainable, flexible, illuminations to create a truly magical Christmas for residents, businesses and visitors alike.”

The new contracts allow the flexibility for partners such as town and parish councils, businesses and sponsors to contribute to enhance Christmas lights.

Councillor Guy added: “I would like to thank all our partners who are working with us to provide fantastic Christmas lights across our area, whether that is in Bath city centre, local shopping centres in Moorland Road, Combe Down, Larkhall and Weston, or in Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock town centres. Working in partnership on projects such as this is crucial at a time when our communities and businesses need all the support they can get.”

Allison Herbert, Chief Executive Bath Business Improvement District, added: “The BID welcomes the council’s ongoing commitment to providing Christmas lighting and is pleased to work alongside the council and other partners to make the city an attractive festive destination this year to welcome visitors back to a revitalised Christmas Market once again.”

Andrew Davies, from Milsom Place, added “We welcome the return this year of the Bath Christmas Market and enhanced investment in festive lighting. Food and beverage, retail and lifestyle businesses, such as those at Milsom Place and in its vicinity, greatly depend on the so-called ‘golden quarter’ where takings can make up to a third of their annual turnover. An exciting long-term commitment to a new scheme of Christmas lighting and projections has the potential to attract a significant increase in visitor numbers, dwell time and spending to enable businesses to prosper, invest and improve their sustainability throughout the year and for the longer term.”

Further details of Bath Christmas Market will be announced in the coming weeks.