Lights Out: A Result Of Sorts

Folks, we knew it wasn't gonna be easy to convince folks to turn off their lights at Christmastime. This is, after all, the time of year when lights are on all over the place, and more than is usual. However, I went into town on Friday evening around 6:15 pm, and took pictures of those who were turned off. Some of them had told us they would participate, and some have their lights off at that time anyway. Still, I was quite pleased with what I saw.  I was in a hurry to be somewhere so I couldn't go down any further than The Vine Inn, so I am not sure what the western end of the High Street looked like, but here's the eastern end...

M&Co.

Boots and Norman Holmes.

Holland & Barrett and Clinton Cards with their lights on, WHSmith in the middle in complete darkness.

Ashton Burkinshaw and the Oxfam shop with lights off. Arazzo on far left with window lights on.

Sketchley Cleaners, with Tenterden's Christmas lights reflected in the window.

The Lemon Tree

Avards Village Bakery

Mostyn Mackenzie

Ward & Partners

Joules

Vision Express

Even the Christmas star on the church tower was switched off.

Overall, I think, not a bad result. As I came home after midnight there were just a handful of shops with lights on, which means that most shops have their lighting on a timer. Whether these shops use low-energy bulbs, however, is a different matter. Of those that bothered to respond to our questionnaire, 36% did not even know what kind of bulbs they were using. We need to keep plugging away with this and try a couple of different approaches in the New Year, and educate the local population in order to get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet. Watch this space.