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24
Sept
Why Harrogate will look darker this winter
They were hailed as an attractive, more reliable alternative to the decorative tree lights that had delighted Harrogate for decades.
But four years on, the council has admitted that the new-style lights on the Stray aren’t all they were cracked up to be.
And the ones on Montpellier Hill are so badly damaged they need to be removed — and won’t be replaced this year.
The winter lights have been a traditional feature of the town for longer than most people can remember. They usually go up in October and aren’t taken down until well into the new year.
So there were some rumblings of discontent in 2022 when the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council announced the old lights, hung from branches, would be replaced by a new type hung round trunks.
Councillor Sam Gibbs and head of parks and environmental services Alison Wilson with Yorkshire Lighting and Electrical Services promoting the new lights in 2022.
It said the new lights would be installed in more than 40 trees on Montpellier Hill, West Park and York Place to “produce a beautiful array of colour across the town during the autumn and winter months”.
Councillor Sam Gibbs, the cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said at the time the old lights “can be difficult to manage due to lights getting blown around, hanging down and becoming dangerous”.
Some felt the new, tree-hugging lights lacked the charm of the old ones but the council insisted they were more weather-resistant and would require fewer repairs.
But that hasn’t turned out to be the case.
North Yorkshire Council has now admitted “the 2023 installation has experienced ongoing reliability issues”.
In a letter to Harrogate Town Council, it blamed everything from rats to moving branches.
It said:
Our recent inspections have identified a growing number of defects within the existing infrastructure. The installations are experiencing continued deterioration as a result of branch movement, weather exposure and rodent damage, resulting in repeated failures and an increasing need for repairs.
We have undertaken inspections throughout 2025 and again in April and August 2026. Whilst interim repairs have been carried out where possible, further defects continue to emerge and the overall condition of the infrastructure is deteriorating.
In addition, the installation at Montpellier Hill, which predates the 2023 scheme, has now reached a point where significant sections are beyond economic repair and will require full removal.
New lights were installed in 2022.
Passing the buck?
The letter went on to say there would be “a reduced lighting provision in the short-term whilst we assess the long-term viability of the existing installation”.
It suggested North Yorkshire Council hold talks with Harrogate Town Council and Harrogate BID on “a longer-term strategy for the replacement and enhancement of the decorative lighting, including future maintenance requirements and funding considerations”.
This immediately triggered concerns at a Harrogate Town Council meeting last night (September 23) that North Yorkshire Council, which is unable to increase its council tax by more than 4.99%, was looking to get others to pay for the lights.
Town clerk Iona Taylor said that was “likely to be the direction of travel” and Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Aldred said it appeared to be another example of North Yorkshire Council not following through on its pledge to be responsible for the legacy of Harrogate Borough Council.
Nevertheless, the town council acknowledged other parish councils, such as Ripon City Council, pay for their festive lights and accepted a similar arrangement may well be coming Harrogate’s way, but there is no budget provision for Christmas lights this year.
It was agreed to open talks — but this winter’s display on the Stray is likely to look dismal compared to bygone years.
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