The idea
Last year we crowd-funded new Christmas lights for the Market Place. This created a fantastic festive display and added to the atmosphere at our Christmas Lights switch-on event and other events in the Market Place.
This year, we want to focus on replacing the lights on Kirkgate, Westgate, Fishergate and Old Market place. For many years these streets had multi-coloured lights which zig-zag across the street but last year many were unlit because they are near to the end of their life and need replacing.
We want to purchase new white icicle lights, which will provide a much more prominent display and complement the new lights we purchased for the Market Place.
As previously, the fund raising is for the purchase of the new lights. We have negotiated for Ripon City Council to set aside a pot of money to fund the money for the cost of installing the lights, taking them down, storing them and maintaining them. This means all the money that we raise goes into buying the new lights.
What we'll deliver
- Buy new LED icicle lights to replace the life-expired ones in Kirkgate, Westgate, Fishergate and Old Market Place
Why it's a great idea
The new lights will bring a fantastic festive atmosphere to these streets, this year and in future years too.
We want to create a festive lights display across the city centre, that you the businesses and residents of the city are proud of.
By taking a phased approach, each year we can replace and improve our existing Christmas Lights and then start to add lighting to parts of the city that currently don't have any.
Steps to get it done
- Get the lights installed by a specialist supplier
- Purchase the lights from a specialist supplier
To make these improvements to our displays in 2014, the funding has to be raised quickly, or we'll have to wait until Christmas 2015 for our new lights.
Ripon City Council have made a commitment to the Christmas Lights by earmarking a pot of money for the installation, removal, storage and maintenance of all of the Christmas Lights across the city centre. This budget provides enough money for these costs this every year until 2017.
The Christmas Lights Switch-On event will take place on Saturday 22nd November 2014 and is being lead by the City Development Team, working in conjunction with our Discover Ripon partners, including Ripon Festivals.
Last year was the first phase of improving the Christmas Lights, this year we have moved out from the Market Place into the adjoining streets and if this is successful we want to do more and improve Christmas Lights in other parts of the City in coming years.
