The street once labelled ‘Christmas Close’ for its incredible seasonal light display has shown no sign of festive cheer in 2017.
Southward Close in Northumberland was once covered with 350,000 Christmas lights and dozens of huge decorations, with children traveling for miles to see the incredible light display.
But now residents are reluctant to decorate the street, with the man who started the traditionsaying they are ‘too old’ to decorate their houses.
John Scott, a retired call centre worker who has lived on the street for 25 years, said he has packed in his decorating days.
Mr Scott, 68, said: ‘I stopped putting my decorations up around five or six years ago, there are too many cars on the street and it is too busy.
‘We’re all too old for it now and I have got diabetes.
‘I am just a bah humbug – I go up to Scotland with the grand kids for Christmas. The residents of the street have all changed.
Southward Close in Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, once dubbed ‘Christmas Close’ as it was decked out with so many seasonal displays now shows no sign of festive cheer
‘There is only about three young kids on the street, so there is no one to put the lights up for now. The garage is just full, if anyone went in there they would probably get electrocuted.’
He added: ‘It was good at the time, I do miss doing it but it was a bit much at times.
‘It used to take weeks to plan it, we had different decorations every year. We were once on the television in France, a film crew came over to film us.
‘I miss having the lights up but I couldn’t cope with it all now. It’s all different lighting systems and everything now, It has got all technological.
‘Before it was lights and timers and plugs and now its all technology.’
Mr Scott turned his home into a Christmas wonderland by hanging out 20 twinkling bulbs and decked the outside of his home with an igloo, snowman’s tea party, a wishing well and a ski slope, along with a full size Santa sleigh with a reindeer on the roof.
The festive decorations would take over eight solid days to prepare for the grand switch-on for December 1.
Over time, his neighbour’s joined in and soon enough there were 350,000 fairy lights paving the way across the street.
The residential street in England used to be renowned for its decorations but has disappointed visitors this year
Fellow resident Dave Masterman, 64, has lived on the street for half his life, but has now decided to give up decorating.
Mr Masterman said: ‘It is a quiet street now, when we had the lights up before you couldn’t see the road for people.
‘The lights brought business to the area and everyone knew where Christmas Close was.
‘To put all the lights up I used to take two weeks off work.
‘Once the street went on the television it got out of hand.
‘You couldn’t move on the street.
‘I have kept most of my decorations and sometimes put them in the back garden for my grand kids but with two hip replacements I don’t think I’m going to be back up a ladder any time soon.’
A local resident who started the tradition turned his home into a Christmas wonderland by hanging out 20 twinkling bulbs and decked the outside of his home with an igloo, snowman’s tea party, a wishing well and a ski slope, along with a full size Santa sleigh with a reindeer on the roof