Funding plea for Santa’s trip from Spain

A funding request has been made for new Christmas lights in Peebles.

The voluntary Peebles Christmas Lights Association installs and maintains the festive lights on Peebles High Street, at the Old Town Hall, The Northgate and the Eastgate Theatre.

Now association members have launched a bid to replace the association's Santa, sleigh and reindeers display which is deemed no longer fit for purpose.

The plan is that the replacements will be manufactured in Spain and shipped across to Peebles in time for the 2023 festive display season.

A bid for funding has been lodged to an extraordinary meeting of Peebles Common Good Sub-Committee which is to meet on Tuesday, June 27.

The association's Malcolm Bruce said: “The existing Santa and sleigh are home-made, painted wood and the ravages of exposure to Scottish winters have taken their toll.

“The replacement will be about the same size, but much brighter and capable of withstanding exposure to the elements. We received a lot of praise in recent years for continuing to mount a display during the worst period of the pandemic.”

The total cost of the project is £10,000 with the Common Good Sub-Committee asked to contribute £7,500.

Mr Bruce added: “ We are confident that if we are successful in securing a grant of £7,500, then our association will be able to meet any further costs within our own resources.”