Oxford Street’s Christmas lights will not shine for as long this year to help with the energy crisis.
Central London’s festive lights will be swapped for LED bulbs and will operate on reduced hours, the New West End Company has announced.
LED lights are 75 percent more energy efficient than normal light bulbs and 300,000 recycled polymer lights will brighten up the West End this year. The change will lower energy usage by two-thirds across the festive season.
Some of the new Christmas lights have already been hung, ready for the official switch-on event on November 2. Londoners spotted star-shaped lights being draped over Oxford Street on September 26.
The New West End Company told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the new times the lights will be switched on each day will be decided in the coming weeks.
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For Christmas 2022 Oxford Street has also launched a campaign called “It’s the Love You Give” which will let individuals and families nominate someone for an experience on Oxford Street in the leadup to the festivities.
On top of this, 100 hampers of food, drinks and gifts will be given “to those who need it most” and Oxford Street will be running three days of exclusive offers for high street shoppers.
Hadas Kulcsar, Campaigns and Events Manager at New West End Company, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing back the Christmas lights to the world-famous Oxford Street this year, with a special twist to treat those who’ve really made a difference in 2022.
“For many, this is the first Christmas without restrictions post-Covid and we want to take this opportunity to help people get back to celebrating the essence of Christmas together: love and giving.
“In the current climate, it is also important that we reduce our energy consumption and help to promote a more sustainable Christmas in line with our ambitions to make Oxford Street a leading sustainable district.”
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