RESIDENTS in Barnard Castle are facing the possibility of having another Christmas with no festive lighting on the Market Cross – because of worries about “light spillage”.
A community campaign was unsuccessful in persuading Barnard Castle Town Council to put up a curtain of fairy lights on the Market Cross because of the £3,000 cost estimated by the county council, which is responsible for the structure.
Town councillors began talks with Durham County Council soon after last Christmas to make sure the situation was not repeated this year.
But despite months of discussions, town councillors were last week informed it was unlikely that the monument would be lit in time.
Assistant clerk Helen Plant announced: “It’s doubtful.”
Cllr Roger Peat said the idea was to bathe the Market Cross in light by beaming it from nearby street columns.
He said it was a simple solution that would give the listed building a white glow. For Christmas, the colour of the lights could be changed.
“It would look really good,” he said.
Mrs Plant said the county council was looking at whether there would be too much “light spillage or glare” on the road.
Councillors were told this delay was causing the problem and time was running out.
Cllr Peat said the town council was pushing county officials as “hard as they could” to get the matter resolved in time for Christmas.
He said: “This has been going on since spring when it looked like it was going to happen.”
An official cost has not been revealed but town councillors would have to raise the money themselves. It is hoped county councillors would contribute through their neighbourhood budgets and online “crowdfunding” would also be used to get people to make donations.
A separate plan to light the Market Cross internally is being developed but would not be ready this year, members were told.
Sarah Robson, head of economic development and housing, said: “Although we are currently working with the town council to design further lighting that we hope will be in place by Christmas, the timing is dependent on the outcome of essential investigations which are currently underway into such things as the impact on the Grade I listed Market Cross and whether the current lighting columns are suitable.”
l BARNARD Castle’s floodlights are stuck – because the staff who know how to change them have all left Durham County Council.
The floodlights change at set times to bathe the monument in different colours for special events and the seasons. But a member of Barnard Castle Town Council say the settings are stuck. Assistant clerk Helen Plant said: “Up until now, the castle floodlights are changed free of charge through agreement with Durham County Council. But the people who knew how to reprogramme them have left and it’s looking very likely we will have to pay.”
Town councillors may be charged between £440 and £1,000, she said. Ms Plant said the lights will still change but they are starting to become “out of sync” with dates.