Prom festoon lighting relocated

The fairy lights which have been removed from Douglas Promenade have been reinstalled in Summerhill Glen and on North Quay.

That's according to leader of Douglas Borough Council, David Christian, who's again defending the authority's decision to remove the 1940's festoon lighting from the promenade.

The decision to do so and replace them with a new £800,000 LED light system has been the subject of a petition in recent weeks signed by hundreds of residents calling for the old lights to be reinstated.

Petitioners believe the new lights would not be in keeping with promenade and the traditional ones 'form a beautiful and welcoming spectacle for travellers arriving in the Isle of Man by sea and people enjoying the promenades at night time.'

However, Mr Christian has stated the LED system will provide safer lighting for pedestrians and motorists and will also save money for ratepayers.

In a statement this week, Mr Christian says: "Much of what has been said and written - including a petition calling for the lights’ reinstatement - has been factually incorrect and it’s time to set the record straight.

"The matter of replacing the festoon lighting with a new LED scheme has been in the public domain for more than three years - and referred to in three consecutive council budgets, the contents of which were made public.

"The festoons have performed sterling service for many years so, far from doing away with them altogether, they have been re-purposed and installed in Summerhill Glen and along the North Quay.

"The new LED lanterns also offer cost savings - estimated to be in the region of 16 per cent cheaper to run than the old scheme - so in the long term will represent less of a burden on Douglas ratepayers."