Burton Latimer's 'Christmas Street' ends festive displays as energy costs soar

A Burton Latimer cul-de-sac dubbed ‘Christmas Street’ will no longer hold its charity festive displays after electricity costs skyrocketed.

Hollow Wood Road residents first started putting incredible lights on the street’s 28 homes in 2017 in a bid to raise £2,500 for a defibrillator.

Hundreds upon hundreds of people flocked to the street to see the displays each December, raising an incredible £45,000 for local good causes.

But this year residents have made the ‘tough’ decision to no longer hold the event because of the ongoing energy crisis, coupled with a change in the ‘street’s dynamic’ after some homeowners left.

Organiser Jamie Featon, who has seen his monthly energy direct debit jump from £168 to £480, said: "With the price of energy going through the roof it would be difficult, not just for us to hold it but to ask people to donate.

"It would be criminal to say to our residents ‘get your lights up’ when we may need charity at home.”

The street previously won an 'Illumination Street' competition run by national newspaper the Sunday Mirror.

Displays in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled because of high Covid case rates but Jamie, who normally puts about 8,000 lights up, said that residents had hoped to hold the event again this year until energy prices soared.

He added that they would have had to end the displays anyway when Bosworth’s Garden Centre eventually leave their premises as they wouldn’t be able to offer parking.

He said: "It just feels like the right time. The amazing memories will be something I remember for the rest of my life.

"I will still put some lights up – Christmas doesn’t stop for us – but a lot of the residents will not be putting anything up.”

Social media users praised the street’s residents for their efforts over the years.

One woman said: “You certainly put Burton on the map. Totally understand your decision. Thanks for spreading the true meaning of Christmas.”

And another said: “Thank you Hollow Wood Road residents. You should be proud of the money that was raised.”

Jamie said he was incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved.

He said: "We set out to raise £2,500 and we ended up raising £45,000. It’s made a great community even stronger.”