Christmas lights costs jump in Bromyard

A Herefordshire town will need to find an extra £1,350 to keep its Christmas lights on this year.

This will be voluntary group Bromyard Christmas Lights’ 60th year lighting up the town over the festive season.

But director David Wilkins said: “We will be even more reliant this year on the generous donations which keep our display running,” owing to rising energy costs.

“Thankfully, over the last decade we have completely transitioned to low-energy bulbs and a low-voltage supply, so our bill is a tenth of what it once was,” he added.

“In fact, the electricity required to power our entire display is similar to the energy which a kettle uses. Even so, we estimate that we will need to find an additional £1,350 this year.”

The group is also supported by Bromyard and Winslow Town Council, but does not charge for its time, machinery or other resources. It received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2011.

Festive lighting displays in Hereford and the other market towns are the responsibility of town councils, which have said they do not anticipate rising costs or the need to scale back this year’s displays.