Christmas Lights on Sydenham Road

[Rachael]

I'm so sorry for using the C word in August, but it occurred to me as I was driving up Sydenham Road today that it would be desperately sad if we had last year's half-hearted bulbs on strings wrapped around the new streetlights this Christmas. I know Riney sponsored the beautiful but undecorated tree last year. Any chance that we can have something better this year? Are there any plans afoot? If not, what can we do to make it happen?

[Maria]

I've been thinking along exactly the same lines... was perhaps going to wait till October or so before raising the topic here to avoid last year's debacle.

Who to contact? Who has contacts? Where and when to start?


... I am wondering. But especially now that the high street is beginning to look positively glowing with renovation and reconstruction, I feel that we must absolutely have a lovely Christmas display in December. Can't wait. I, for one, am prepared to do a lot of work to help ensure it.

[marymck]

I think there's going to be a Christmas market. Chris Best would probably know about that and about the lights. I've been thinking about them too!!

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Maria]

C Best lives very near me; I could go and talk to her or find some way to meet her. Anybody wants to come too - it would be great to have support in numbers and in fluency of argument....

[Chris Best]

Very happy to discuss what to do this year. We have agreed £1,000 from the Sydenham Assembly Fund for Christmas. This could include a Christmas tree or decorating one of our new street trees that will be in place at the new pocket squares on Queensthorpe, Venner or Station Approach.

Last year our lighting up the Chrstmas tree was at 5pm on Friday 7 December followed by late night shopping in the high street. The entertainment was from two community choirs and Harmony High (the Dulwich Glee Club).

SEE3 have been talking about a Christmas market in addition to the monthly last Sunday of the month market. So we would have our monthly market on Sunday 24 November - then Forest Hill Food market on Sunday 1 December - followed by a Christmas market on Sunday 8 December. We could use this event to light up a Christmas tree and have carols at the end of the market etc.

Lewisham's Christmas lights are installed by Skanska and that is a long conversation. How about getting some views and meeting up?

[dickp]

Given that B&Q have just opened on our doorstep, how about approaching them to sponsor the lights? Or any of the major new Bell Green traders.

Giving us Christmas lights would probably amount to pocket change in such company's community engagement / PR budgets.

Matthew Sexton is director of CSR at B&Q, while Jacqueline Caston is "responsible for community engagement, partnerships and charitable support via our 360 stores".

Isn't LinkedIn great for hunting people down? That's one company for starters.

[Maria]

Thank you v much for offering to meet with us, Chris; as you see, there are so many of us keen on making Sydenham a fantastic place to live in...

I myself will be away from the 12th till the 23 September - but that doesn't mean other people can't meet with you during those dates themselves, of course.

Any dates and places you suggest? I can offer to meet here but a more neutral place might be preferred - no matter; all that matters is to meet and move forward: how exciting: rather than thinking about it we can actually DO something!

Many thanks

[Rachael]

I'd be more than happy to meet up for a meeting to discuss this too.

[mosy]

A problem with LED lights on big trees (especially firs) is how insignificant they seem. I suppose they could be described as tasteful but hardly colourful and merry. Could local younger schoolchildren as a school project, or made at home to bring to a collection point (Riney office if still there?), make tinfoil (waterproof) stars or tinfoil "paper chains" to help reflect and exaggerate what little light LEDs give out?

I don't know the pros and cons (apart from the Skanska design team possibly becoming apoplectic) so could perhaps designate one tree as a so-decorated "Children's tree" and also use it on switching-on day (specified time interval) as a one-off collection point for "grown out of" toys to give to hospital playrooms or other charities.

It's not possible for me to think this through without any idea of the potential obstacles, so I won't worry if shot down in flames or less melodramatically, just ignored.

[Rachael]

You are right about LED lights. They are completely useless on a big tree unless you have lots of them. Good old-fashioned colour bulbs are the way to go. Maybe we could have some of the strings from the lamp posts for the tree! Forest Hill have decorations for their tree - big swags of tinsel and some baubles, if memory serves. Can't remember what sort of lights, though - possible Michael could remind us?

[marymck]

Please count me in too. It's never too early to talk about Christmas (though too early for Harrods to be advertising its Christmas grotto!)

As Mr Dickens (I think) said, "keep Christmas in our hearts all year long" (or something like that.)

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[leenewham]

We did some work with Harrow Council and they used a company called http://saimollights.com for the lights in the trees (they looked great and were LED Mosy, it depends on the type of LED, they are better than they used to be).

I think the lights on the tree in Trafalgar square are LED, The Regents Street ones were. Hillingdon council used these guys who were good apparently: http://www.lite-ltd.co.uk

I'm sure some of our local architects know of some too.

One of the issues with having our own lights (Perhaps Cllr Best know more about this) is storage and maintenance. But I presume that our lights will be provided by Skandia, so they will probably be generic across Lewisham and Croydon, which would be a shame. Hopefully that won't be the case and we can have some say in what we get here that is a little bespoke.

[mosy]

I doubt there'll ever be a return to full fat lights due to bulb replacements as well as energy costs, so perhaps with LEDs:
Q: it's a higher wattage per lamp or simply having more that makes a difference?

I'm going by last year's "Post Office" tree on which IIRC the lights were donated (thanks donator) but only enough for the top third-half and blue (so no contrast against the dark green). Do you have any images Leenewham or anyone (including Skanska) of trees with LED lights to show what could be achieved? No Photoshopping enhancements allowed

Sorry, better to ask questions and say my two pennyworth before the event than complain after it

[Steveofsyd]

Why can't we get the newbies from the new lower Sydenham shopping centre to sponsor the lights. They would drum up some attention and generate a lot of goodwill.
B&Q, Currys, etc

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Maria]

The tree outside St Christopher's is always spectacularly beautiful in its simplicity; I wonder if we would be able to afford it?

So, by now we have 3 of us keen to meet up with C Best (thanks Chris) but loads of others who are obviously v interested and knowledgeable: any more takers? It's turning into a full blown Christmas party, at this rate...

[leenewham]

See my previous links for LITE or saimol lights mosy, or this which is LED:
http://www.festive-lights.com/christmas ... metre.html

4 grand for a tree!!! Blimey!

No photoshopping (I never cheat with photoshop, it's just a tool to visualise ideas!)

If any shops want commercial lights, these guys are having a sale.
http://www.brightstuff.co.uk

Last years tree was rather woeful.

Is it true that our christmas tree will be permanent in station approach?

[dickp]

There's also the option of wrapping lights around the newly-installed trees, if they can match up with the main christmas lights. I've always thought subtle tree lights to be very tasteful.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[leenewham]

Agree Dickp, they look great. THey are also featured on the links I posted with some prices.

[gillyjp]

The tree outside St Christopher's is always spectacularly beautiful in its simplicity; I wonder if we would be able to afford it?

So, by now we have 3 of us keen to meet up with C Best (thanks Chris) but loads of others who are obviously v interested and knowledgeable: any more takers? It's turning into a full blown Christmas party, at this rate...

Well Mr O and I were chief moaners about last year's Christmas lights as I recall. Very disappointing they were. So in that case please count us in for the meet up to discuss festive decorations in Sydenham road.

I wait to hear where this will take place and look forward to being involved.

[Maria]

Fine. I will pm C Best re dates & venue etc and then will let you all know. Been thinking about the idea of lights on the new trees: I think that wld look fantastic with the added advantage they cld be used during other festive times eg the Arts Festival etc. How wld people feel about not having a Christmas tree at all but loads of illuminated trees on the pocket squares, station approach etc? Do like the plan to approach the brand new businesses btw.
As many thoughts as possible before the meeting wld be ideal.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]