After the ravages of Storm Arwen, Kendal’s mayor was delighted to put a little bit of sparkle back into Christmas by lighting up a second tree for the town.
The tree, in Market Place, is the centrepiece of the town’s decorations, but Storm Arwen saw extensive damage to it and the lights that normally sparkle in the run-up to Christmas.
Mayor Doug Rathbone said: “We were all disappointed when Arwen took out some of our critical lighting infrastructure but our contractors Christmas Plus pulled out the stops to get us back up and running, and council staff were able to erect a new tree, which looks lovely.
“None of us wanted another dark and COVID Christmas, so hopefully this brings some colour back to the winter streets of our Auld Grey Town.”
Kendal’s Christmas lights were due to be switched on the day after Storm Arwen crashed through the county, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Staff and contractors were able to fix the overhead cables and install a new tree, from a local grower, the following weekend – getting the Christmas lights back on, though without
the usual Santa and ceremony, in time for the crucial December shopping period.
