Organisers aim for 'wow factor' at Barnard Castle festive lights

ORGANISERS of this year's festive lights display in Barnard Castle are hoping to add a “wow factor” to the switch-on ceremony.

The Barnard Castle Christmas Lights (BCCL) committee is spending more than £900 on “snowfall strips” – flashing tubes which are hung from trees to enhance the display.

Members were told Barnard Castle would be one of the first towns to feature the new strips.

Chairman Roger Peat said: “This is something that has been on the market for two to three years but Xmasplus (the contractor responsible for erecting the lights) identified problems with them.”

He said these issues had been ironed out and new strips, manufactured in China, had just arrived in the UK.

The committee agreed to buy 51 snowfall strips varying in length from 30cm to a metre.

Mr Peat said the idea this year was to put them on the tree opposite the Post Office at the bottom of Galgate.

“It could be too near the Christmas tree, but I think that is where the footfall is and the majority of people. You will be able to see it right down Horse Market.”

BCCL member Leah Hobson said she feared it would outshine the Christmas tree lights.

Mr Peat said the hope was that the snowfall strips would complement the main Christmas tree lights. “When we switch them on, it will give a ‘wow factor’,” he said.

Members said depending on how it went this year, the snowfall strips could be relocated to another part of town in future years.