'Naff' Christmas lights on Lordship Lane

[BrandNewGuy]

An exchange on Twitter bemoans LL's 'naff' lights and wants the council to up its game [attached]. Whatever happened to the old-fashioned idea of a chamber of commerce whose role is to promote local businesses? If increased footfall is going to drum up more business, then get the businesses to pay. Ditto those bloody ?20,000 flags that were proposed a few months ago: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1787147,page=1

[intexasatthe moment]

Please no flashing lights .

[Earl Aelfheah]

They are pretty naff.

[Sue]

They have always looked like pound signs to me!

[monica]

I live near Beckenham, the lights on the high street are lovely, and Penge High street lights are also really nice.

We have been on at the council to change the Xmas lights for years, we have been told they have no money in the budget.

The money for the proposed banners comes from Cleaner, Greener fund.

Chambers of commerce should get involved, however as far as I know nothing has happened yet.

We use to have a South Southwark traders association, which was more or less run by Lawrence white, we all had a part to play. My role alongside Ed from the Ed warehouse ( Now the brick house) on Zenoria street was to try and get the council to give us money for better lighting, road signage and Christmas lights.

In our role we also had the task of trying to raise money for the banners, and the maintenance of the banners.

At that time (7 years ago) we were told by council officials that the banners would not be sustainable, because of costs.

Unfortunately we achieved very little because the council did not and could not help us. our local councillor at the time was Richard Thomas, who was very helpful.

[DulwichFox]

Flashing lights are a distraction to drivers.

Please no flashing lights.

DulwichFox

[Earl Aelfheah]

Just some plain white fairy lights would be nice.

I guess we might as well wait a couple more years now, by which time they may have come back into fashion.

[Nigello]

They're ok, not great and not awful. There's nothing stopping individual businesses going to town or even

Teaming up with neighbouring places without council help.

W

[AbDabs]

Nigello Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> They're ok, not great and not awful. There's

> nothing stopping individual businesses going to

> town or even

> Teaming up with neighbouring places without

> council help.

> W

I agree. They're not awful and flashing lights would be much naffer. It would be good if the red bits were plain white but that's just my taste.

[bsand]

They are austerity chic - ration books and all that .....for local people..

[kibris]

I think they are ok,why would you want flashing lights it doesnt bring more people in. Also its not the lights it how the shops dress there windows that makes it for the high street. Any the west end has had the same lights for the last five years.

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

I drove through Carshalton today. They had far nicer lights than those on Lordship Lane.

[Take Note]

Crystal Palace has plain candle-white lights twisted around the posts - Very understated, inexpensive and difficult to offend. I agree that you can't please all the people all the time but the LL lights are dated and (IMO) a bit naff which is a bit incongruous with the very un-naff shops.

[kford]

Plain fairy lights in the trees, like near The Cut, or Herne Hill.

[Mick Mac]

Take Note Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

very un-naff shops.

I like that :)

[lavender27]

It would be very nice to see the lights all year round.

I am sad when all the decs come down. Please Southwark Council can we have Christmas lights and Christmas all year round?

[Sue]

NOOOOOO :))

[Earl Aelfheah]

kford Wrote:

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> Plain fairy lights in the trees, like near The

> Cut, or Herne Hill.

This. perfect

[mikeb]

I've always thought they are expressively phallic, gushing forth Christmas spirit upon Lordship Lane. It's like one of those optical illusions: once you see it, you can't stop.

[DKH_Friends]

Blackheath has string lights zigzagging across the road, looks lovely. Sure something like that would be fairly cheap?

[Milan05]

Brixton's neon lollipops are fab!

[worldwiser]

Hilarious that people are concerned about Christmas lights which will be gone in a few weeks and no-one is concerned about the ridiculous half-a-job pavement renovation that will have cost a fortune and will last for eternity.

[KidKruger]

yeah that pavement job is a propa earner for the company laying it (every few years, again and again).

[Nigello]

Is it only "half a job" because the strip of land nearest to the shops has not been repaved? If so, that is not the fault of the council; I believe this strip belongs to the shops and so their owners have the right to say what happens to it. (I know it is a pain, but that seems to be the law, if I am correct.)

Otherwise, back on track, I still think the general level of Xmas deco by individual shops hovers around 6/10. It could be a lot more inventive and alluring but only the shops themselves - individually or together - can change that.

[intexasatthe moment]

Beautiful Christmassy stencil on the small St Christopher's Hospice shop window.