Market Drayton Christmas tree to go up next week as town prepares for popular Festival of Lights

The Christmas tree has been donated by Hales Sawmills and is due to be put up in Cheshire Street on the morning of Monday, November 11 ahead of the Festival of Lights.

Councillor’s are hoping to see the town busy with residents for the Festival of Lights on November 16 where the North Shropshire town’s lights will be switched on.

Free parking will be supplied at the event by Market Drayton Town Council after they decided to pick up the £400 parking tab from Shropshire Council.

New Christmas lights will also be on display after a new batch was ordered for this year to give the town a new sparkle. 

Mayor Roy Aldcroft is looking forward to seeing the Christmas tree standing proudly in the town and hopes it will be enjoyed by all. 

“It’s a gift to the town, and we look forward to starting the Christmas season by having it erected on Monday,” he said. 

“Hopefully it will provide a bit of a beacon for people coming to the town who are buying whatever they do for Christmas and friends and family.

“We have the Christmas Festival of Lights coming up as well, so it’s all preparation for the lighting of the town with market stalls up and down, and the tree will be a centrepiece for that.

“Hopefully we can get most of the shops to open late which means people can come down and have a look around the stalls and shops, be entertained, and they and their children will be happy and go away with that Christmas spirit.”