ALTON town centre is to benefit from a new Christmas lighting scheme.

The final go ahead was given at a full council meeting last Wednesday when Alton town councillors agreed to enter into a three-year contract with Woking-based company Seasonal Transformations Ltd, at a cost of £45,000, and will include decorations and illuminations in the High Street, Market Street, the Market Square, Cross and Pillory Lane, and Turk Street.

While the two Christmas trees, one in the Market Square and the other on Crown Hill, will be supplied and erected by the council’s current contractor, Seasonal Transformations will supply the lighting and dress both trees with blue and white LED lights.

The Market Square will benefit from a complete transformation with the eves of the buildings traced with 180m of icicles and 7,200 LED lights, with a similar arrangement extending down Cross and Pillory Lane.

Likewise, the proposal is to fit a full run of white LED icicle lighting to poles fitted to the eves of the buildings, with 20 per cent flash to give a ‘sparkle’.

In addition, festive motifs will be fitted to 29 lamp posts on Normany Street, High Street and Turk Street, comprising 11,600 LEDs.

The display will be stored and maintained by Season Transformations and the price includes the buy back by the company of the display at the end of the three years.