Newton Abbot Town Council

NEWTON ABBOT’S BIG CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON!

Saturday 20th November saw the annual light switch on take place in Newton Abbot in front of the Clock Tower to mark the countdown to Christmas.   The day was jammed packed with street entertainers for all the family from face painting and balloon modelling to live music from South Devon College and the Music Mill and a very tall, walking and talking Christmas tree!  The town centre was busy with shoppers getting an early start on Christmas and the smell of roasted chestnuts filled the air.

The switch on festivities started with a procession from the War Memorial with Father Christmas and his Christmas sleigh along with the Carnival royalty, Town Crier, Natalie Melmore (Commonwealth Games Gold medallist) and town councillors.  The procession went through the whole town with Santa handing out sweets to all the young children on route!  It ended at the Clock Tower where the switch on took place.  The switch on was a team effort from all those on the sleigh and with the addition of the mystery guest who was finally revealed as Newton Abbots very own homage to Jeremy Clarkson’s  ‘Top Gear’ ........’The Sprig’!

The Town Council is proud to announce that there are a number of additional areas which have been lit this year including Wolborough Street and Lower Queen Street, plus all new lights have been fitted throughout the town in LED.  The LED lights mean that each light bulb only equates to 1 watt, therefore not as much power will be used this year running them.  Plus as the new lights are LED they will save 90% of the energy used by the previous lights.  This year the lighting contract was also renewed and the contract was given to a local festive lighting company called ‘Torbay Display’ which is based in Torquay.

A special thank you also needs to be noted to all the town centre businesses and traders who have contributed to this year’s festive lighting as well as a special thank you to Councillor Gordon Hook whose kind donation has gone towards the purchase of some new lights.

Sally Henley Town Development Manager says ‘We always like to make a day of it when we switch on the Christmas lights in Newton Abbot and by late afternoon there was a real sense of anticipation in the air as the time for Father Christmas sleigh ride through the town approached. There was a great display of musical talent from local young people once again at the Clock Tower and it was a joy to see so many younger faces light up when they saw the enormous walking and talking Christmas tree. Everyone wants to know who the ‘Sprig’ is – but this must remain a mystery and we were very grateful to him for putting so much effort into his seasonal gear especially for Newton Abbot. What a great line up for the switching on – not one celebrity but a whole host of local ones. I think that the lights this year look fantastic and we are all looking forward to lots more festive fun in the town centre as we head towards Christmas.........’