A new directive from our European neighbours namely in Brussels, could well dampen the splendid display of Christmas lights that are seen all over the town during the festive season in Tunbridge Wells.

What the new directive consist of, is to ban and outlaw the use of the incandescent, inefficient light bulbs, although they have been used in the past for many years without any problem, they are now classed as simply using too much energy to light them up.

This will eventually incur far more expense for the town to be “lit-up” and could well cost many thousands of pounds more as the Christmas Lights Committee will have to eventually replace the thousands of old bulbs, which will be phased out in the next three years, and replace them with a new type, of either low-energy halogen lamps, LED's – or the Light Emitting Diode type, or compact fluorescent lamps.

Although they are more than 25% more expensive and the quality is not so good as the original bulbs, the directive to replace them is here to stay.

Southborough Town Council has set aside in its budget £30, 000 for the lights, the committee there organise all the Christmas lighting displays from The Hand & Sceptre pub, down through London Road to the Library at Southborough.

There are proposed new ideas that may be put into action, Cllr Mike Rusbridge, the town council Christmas lights Chairman, expressed that it may have to look at providing static displays, he also added that, “they would not be replacing there their massive supply of bulbs this year as the standard low-energy bulbs that you can buy now, will not be as efficient as they will be in a year or two's time, therefore the decision is to wait and see before we invest in this new form of lighting, so it will be on hold until a later date”. He also mentioned “that next year we will certainly have to look seriously at how we will replace them” 

The Christmas decorations and lights on the trees in the Pantiles last year was superb it gave everyone who not only lives and works there, but visitors and tourists a very special festive feeling with the excellent light displays, which were generously donated by local businesses.

It is hoped that the Christmas lights this year will be as good and as excellent as they have been in previous years, not only to bring pleasure during the Christmas season to everyone, but to brighten the gloom of the recession, and bring us all a little “Christmas Cheer”.