29 November 2023 , 23:13
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Locals have slammed “s*** show” Christmas lights that “look like they’ve been launched into the tree” - and the local council says they're not to blame for the underwhelming display.
Confused residents of Denton, Greater Manchester have taken to social media wondering why the lights have been put up as they have on two trees in the town centre. There are several normal trees around a Christmas tree in the centre, and of them two only seem to have a handful of working lights.
A post on a local Facebook group read: "Denton lights, absolute joke, the forgotten Town. Hyde, Ashton, Droylsden and even Dane Bank are better than this, why?" The post attracted almost 350 comments, with one person describing them as a "s***t show". Another said: "Those are that bad that they were not even worth the wage to put them up."
One person commented that it looks as though the lights were "launched into the tree" (Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)Tameside Council claims they provided a Christmas tree decorated with lights and lit up the town hall, which was switched on at an event in the town centre last weekend, reported the Manchester Evening News.
The council has stated that the lights in the two other trees were "not part of our offer" and it said it would investigate. A spokesperson from the town hall said: "The council has provided a real cut Christmas tree with lights as is our offer for all our towns as well as the lights on the town hall. If any other lights have been lit, we will investigate, but they are not part of our offer.
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"We would love to provide more Christmas lights for all our towns as part of our ongoing efforts to encourage people to shop local and support our local town centres, but unfortunately we're in a position of continued government funding cuts and extremely limited budgets where we have to prioritise spending on statutory services and caring for the most vulnerable children and adults in our community."
People have said that it looks as like only some of the lights work (Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)Locals pointed out that the poorly lit trees were in a visible spot for passing drivers and thus, gave a bad impression of the town. Tameside Council has already promised to replace a tree in nearby Hattersley following complaints from locals. The "living tree" was planted outside The Hub, a community centre on Stockport Road which includes a police post and council offices, a few years ago but the sparse spruce hasn't flourished.
Residents were upset when they noticed workmen had decorated it in lights and put barriers around it on Monday morning in time for Friday's lights 'switch-on'. After the Christmas chaos, council officials have pledged to provide a 'cut tree' in time for the switch on and replace the "living tree".
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