Christmas tree revamp after complaints from residents

A north Antrim councillor has told how complaints by Ballycastle residents about their “absolute tragedy” of a Christmas tree saw it get a revamp.
Ballycastle Christmas tree early on Tuesday morningBallycastle Christmas tree early on Tuesday morning
Ballycastle Christmas tree early on Tuesday morning

Independent Councillor Padraig McShane said he was aware “for some time” that residents were unhappy with the tree, which he said was lit “around two weeks ago”.

“The council redid the tree this morning because there had been complaints and quite rightly so because it was bad looking,” he said.

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“The shape of the tree is terrible so it didn’t have a good starting point. At the switch-on around two weeks ago the tree did look very well.

“But after that there has been storms and vandalism - and then it was left with one string of lights at one side and it looked an absolute tragedy.”

Mr McShane said he spoke to the Chief Executive of the council on Tuesday morning about new decorations being added to the tree.

“It has been a bug bear for the community here. And we are into a new dispensation in a new council where it looks bad towards Ballycastle.

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“Our rate payers deserve the same treatment as the major towns.”

Earlier Ballycastle mother-of-four Claire Winning said the Christmas tree was “a disgrace”.

“I don’t know what our council spend their money on, but I can assure you the money is not put into our community,” she said.

“It’s very disappointing and when up it makes our town look dreadful and dreary.

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“We would be better off without a tree rather than some old tree thrown up.”

Prior to speaking to Councillor McShane a spokeswoman for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said they were “not commenting on the Christmas tree in Ballycastle”.

She said they were aware of complaints about the tree and “had no plans to change the tree at the minute”.