'Storms and rodents' blamed for failure to switch on all Stray lights in Harrogate this winter
Readers have been expressing concern about an iconic part of life in Harrogate as the glistening tree lights which usually brighten the Stray in the winter months remain partly switched off as a result of “rodent damage”.
Recent years have seen some worrying developments for the colourful, decorative lights which for decades have been wrapped around the trees which line the Stray on the edges of West Park, Otley Road, Leeds Road, York Place and Montpellier Hill.
Traditionally, the dazzling lights, which are wrapped carefully around trunks and branches, bring a bit of magic and sparkle to Harrogate at night-time in the dark winter months all the way from late October to late March.
But not this year, so far. This year the lights have not all been switched on.
The original tree lights, which were used for decades, were sodium bulbs held in place by fixings nailed or screwed in trees.
In August 2022, after complaints that lights were hanging out of the trees or that strings of lights had broken which left some trees unlit, the then Harrogate Borough Council replaced them with with new energy-efficient LED bulbs.
A year later, in one of their final acts, the council, which has since been abolished in a major local government shake-up, dipped into its reserves to make up a shortfall of nearly £30,000 in the cost of lighting up the Stray at night.
The council argued at the time that the new LED lights would result in better resistance to the weather and fewer repair requirements through the season.
Now, with the Stray in darkness for the first time in decades the new authority in charge is blaming the situation on the weather – and rodents.
Disappointed residents, who were concerned this this important part of what makes Harrogate a special place for locals and tourists alike was being forgotten about, contacted North Yorkshire Council to complain.
The council's reply surprised one Harrogate Advertiser reader, who wished to remain anonymous.
“The council said that what had happened was that, during a pre switch-on inspection, their electrical engineering team discovered significant storm damage to illuminated branch wraps and further units with significant rodent damage.”
As for what happens next and the question of whether the Stray lights are about to become a thing of the past, it seems that some may eventually be switched on, though by no means all of them.
"The council said it was planning a staged rectification of the lights after repairs are done,” said the reader.
"But they also said some may require a full replacement and will stay switched off."