MEA Council plan Carrickfergus Christmas glow-up with £135K funding for new lights

Preparations for the Christmas season in Carrickfergus have commenced with an upgrade of civic lighting being planned.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has secured £135,000 from the Department for Communities (DfC) to improve festive lighting in the borough’s towns.

A report presented to a meeting of the council’s Environment and Economy Committee, at The Braid, in Ballymena, on Monday evening, says this will “enhance the existing lighting schemes and develop a seasonal lighting trail in Carrickfergus”.

A council officer told the meeting there will be a “lighting trail in Shaftesbury Park with additional lights on streets as well”.

The report stated “all lighting has now been procured with a view to installation and use for the 2025 Christmas season”.

The officer noted the new festive lighting will be installed “to improve and make town centres more attractive”.

The new festive lighting will be delivered in areas of “recently delivered public realm schemes”, the report said, as well as extensions to existing provision at locations where Christmas lighting is “perceived by the public to be weak”.

The report also said three 10-metre artificial Christmas trees purchased by the borough council through funding of almost £90k from DfC for Carrickfergus, Larne and Ballymena town centres have been “extremely well-received by local businesses and the public”.

One report of vandalism was noted in Larne.

The committee report went on to say “footfall was steady and traders reported a good day’s trading” at an artisan market held at Market Place, Carrickfergus, earlier this month.

However, a decrease in footfall of 0.7 per cent in Carrickfergus town centre, was reported in May with a rise of 1.2 per cent in Ballymena and an increase of 5.7 per cent in Larne town centres compared to the same period last year.