This Is Guernsey

By Gemma Hockey

THE new Bridge Christmas lights went down a treat with Santa Claus and shoppers yesterday. Retailers clubbed together to buy the display, which included Christmas trees attached to the outside of all shops that took part and a central tree and light show.

Despite gale force winds, hundreds turned out to see Santa and the new lights being switched on for the first time.

Two-year-old Caitlin Jones was especially excited to see him and reminded him to drop in at her house on Christmas Day, which is also her birthday.

‘It’s really exciting to see Santa,’ she said.

Dad Nathan, a plumber, said it was important for the children to meet the great man.

‘It’s great for her to see Santa switching on the lights,’ he said.

He said it was worth braving the cold.

‘It’s not too bad if you put a hat on.’

Andrea Le Cloarec, 21, took her daughter, Alysia McKane, 2, to see the lights.

‘It’s something I hope she remembers,’ she said as the two-and-a-half-year-old handed Santa a letter.

‘The lights look fantastic: they’ve done a really nice job.’

Seven-year-old Corey Robilliard said the lights looked sparkly.

‘I gave Santa a letter and asked him for a computer,’ said the Vale Junior School pupil.

Bridge Christmas lights co-ordinator Martin Search said the turnout was fantastic considering the weather.

‘It’s absolutely brilliant,’ he said.

‘A policeman said to me it was as good a turnout as in Town and we are really happy with the new lights.

‘The new Christmas trees look fantastic and we are so grateful for all the shopkeepers’ contributions to the switch-on and installation of the lights.

‘It’s a completely new system this year because, like Town, we had large lights and there were a lot of problems erecting and maintaining them.

‘It was time to replace the old lights, so we decided that instead of getting the same system again, the shops would buy their trees and there would be a display in the middle,’ he said.

Le Friquet Garden Centre sourced the trees, which each have LEDs, and Stainless Steel Fabrications supplied the brackets to hold them.