Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Leicester Lights Up for Christmas

The fantastic Christmas lights of Leicester have been switched on.

The switching-on ceremony took place in Town Hall Square on Sunday 19th November, as the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Paul Westley, accompanied by Noddy, Big Ears and the Lady Mayoress, pulled the switch.

To give an extra seasonal touch, a cloud of artificial snowflakes showered down from the Town Hall.

Councillor Westley commented "It was absolutely fantastic. I think there was a bigger crowd this year than last. People loved the snow and it was a great honour to be part of it".

There are 12,000 lights, covering most of the City Centre streets, including Gallowtree Gate, High Street, Belvoir Street, Church Gate, Horsefair Street and Granby Street.

There are two Christmas trees in Town Hall Square, as well as the traditional nativity scene and a tableau featuring Noddy and his friends.

In addition to all this, however, the city's two major indoor shopping centres, The Shires and the Haymarket Centre, have their own lights and decorations.

This year, I am leading a Guided walk in the City Centre, specifically designed to marvel at the festive decorations. It's called "Deck the Halls", and is on Wednesday 20th December at 7pm.

I know lots of towns and cities, and I guarantee that it would be hard to find another city with such great displays.