BUSINESSES in Barnard Castle are being offered free Christmas trees this festive season.
For the past four years, Barnard Castle Christmas Lights group has provided business and property owners in the town with artificial Christmas trees for a charge of £30. The four feet tall trees were installed on brackets on shop fronts which were then wired up to light up the town’s high street.
The group has announced that the scheme is not going to run this year and new homes are being sought for about 50 trees.
Member of the volunteer-led group and town resident Roger Peat said: “Previously we have put the trees on the front of properties. For £30 we would supply the tree with lights and we would wire it up to the shop.
“This year we are giving the shopkeepers the artificial trees. There will be no charge but they will need to put it up themselves and wire it up.”
Businesses in the town have already taken the group up on the offer.
Mr Peat said: “The trees are starting to come to the end of their life. With the support we have had, it has paid the costs of buying them so we would now like to give them to the businesses.
“We will be going round the people and businesses who have supported us in the past and offering the trees.”
For more information or to request a Christmas tree, contact Mr Peat by text message on 07719 586839.
