No festive lights for Burton Latimer's Christmas Street after 'difficult' decision

Residents say it would be irresponsible to bring crowds to the street with Covid cases so high
Every house in Hollow Wood Road usually puts up a display. Picture by John Woods.Every house in Hollow Wood Road usually puts up a display. Picture by John Woods.
Every house in Hollow Wood Road usually puts up a display. Picture by John Woods.

A Burton Latimer street known for its incredible Christmas displays won't be lit up this year after a 'difficult' decision because of Covid case numbers.

Hundreds upon hundreds of people usually descend on Hollow Wood Road each December to see the festive lights on each of the 28 houses.

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Last year's display was cancelled when extremely high Covid cases and deaths left the nation spiralling towards January's eventual Covid lockdown, but there had been hopes the event would resume in 2021.

But - with cases still at more than 30,000 a day and with deaths still topping 200 a day - residents say it would be irresponsible to bring crowds to the street.

A statement by residents said: "The residents of Hollow Wood Road have decided, that due to the ongoing situation with Covid and numbers still rising on a daily basis, there will be no Christmas light displays going up this year.

"We have all agreed that it would be highly irresponsible for us at this time to encourage huge crowds of people to come to the street and stand/walk alongside one another within very close proximity with nobody to police it. This decision has been a very difficult one and has taken many months of discussion involving all residents on Hollow Wood Road.

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"Charity donations will not be collected through “Woody the reindeer” this year, once again in a bid to discourage crowds from entering the street, however we will be setting up a JustGiving page for anybody who would still like to donate.

"The residents of Hollow Wood Road kindly ask that you please respect our decision and privacy over the Christmas period as we will just be like any other normal street this year. There will be nothing spectacular to see."

In previous years residents have gone all out with up to 100,000 lights on show, raising thousands of pounds for charity.

In 2018 displays raised a phenomenal £12,000 for Cransley Hospice, animal rescue charity Nanna and two local children.

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

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