Happy ending in saga of the Holmfirth Christmas lights

Nov 30 2009 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IT WAS the moment some suspected might never happen.

But after months of uncertainty, a bitter row over a three-year-old debt, court appearances and the collapse of the group of organisers, the Christmas lights finally went on in Holmfirth.

Hundreds of people lined the streets to see Huddersfield Giants coach Nathan Brown and star player Eorl Crabtree push the button to give the town a festive glow.

Royston Rogers, Holme Valley North ward councillor for Kirklees Council, is also vice president of the newly re-formed Holme Valley Business Association (HVBA), which has historically organised the Christmas lights switch-on.

He said: “People might call me crazy, but I’m sure the angels were looking down on us.

“Bearing in mind that six weeks ago there was literally no chance of any lights, it couldn’t have gone better.

“To see the expressions on everyone’s faces made it all worth it.”

The annual lights switch-on was thrown into doubt earlier this year when Kath Smith, a former member of the old HVBA, sued the organisation.

She wanted repayment for the personal costs she incurred for arranging the 2006 display.

A court battle ensued and in September the business association was ordered to pay Mrs Smith £3,300.

Having paid half the money, the association failed to meet the 28-day time limit to come up with the remainder, leading to threats by Mrs Smith that she would order bailiffs to recover the rest.

The group, originally set up largely to organise the annual Christmas lights, then folded after the resignation of its president and treasurer.

But it was resurrected when new officers were elected at an emergency meeting earlier this month.

An out-of-court agreement was then reached with Mrs Smith to pay off the remainder of the debt.

And the HVBA called on businesses and the community to rally round to make sure the Christmas lights switch-on went ahead.

Mr Rogers said: “After six years of hard work, there was no way those lights weren’t going to go up.”