BINGLEY residents are being given the chance to choose the town’s Christmas lights.

A public vote has begun to pick from five designs for the festive illuminations, which would appear on five lampposts along Main Street near to the town’s market square.

The new festive decorations are part of a near £7,000 investment by Bingley Town Council, which also includes illuminating a further nine trees around the market square and Bingley Arts Centre. A total of 14 trees will be lit up, as well as the Christmas tree provided by Bradford Council.

People have the choice between green and silver trees, stars, baubles, angel wings and sherbet fountains.

Councillor Ros Dawson, Bingley Town Council chairman, hopes the new-look lights will give a boost to the town’s businesses.

She said: “As well as bringing pleasure at Christmas and brightening the winter months, hopefully the lights will encourage more people into Bingley to shop and enjoy its amenities. The Town Council actively supports initiatives and strategies to boost our town’s profile and make it an even better place to live and work.”

Cllr Mark Truelove, who has organised the competition alongside councillors Michelle Chapman and John Goode, said: “New and better lights are the number one issue that residents tell us they want.

“So, the Town Council is using its funds to help grant this Christmas wish.We want to improve the display along the main street so would like residents to tell us which of five possible column feature designs they’d like to see on the lamp posts. Hopefully, there’ll be a clear preference.

“The new column features will complement the lights on the trees around the market square and make Bingley more attractive.

“Last year, we managed to illuminate five trees so this year people should see a big difference. This is just the start and we aim to build steadily on our town’s festive decorations year on year.”

The chosen lights design will be switched on at the town’s Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 25, at 4.30pm. The fair, organised by Bingley Chamber of Trade and Commerce, is also being backed by a £2,000 grant from the Town Council and contributions from its councillors. The event will also include a Santas’s grotto, free donkey rides, fairground rides and stalls on market square and inside Bingley Arts Centre. To vote for your favourite Christmas lights design, before the Friday, September 15, deadline, email a preference and postal address to enquiries@bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk.

They can also submit their choice on Bingley Town Council’s Facebook page; @bingleytowncouncil. The public can also have their say when a survey is carried out by councillors in Bingley town centre on Friday, September 8, and Saturday, September 9.