A NEW set of artificial Christmas trees have been put up around Penistone because putting up real trees had become ‘too dangerous’, the town’s mayor has said.
The artificial trees have not gone down well with everyone and community volunteer Neil Smith is calling for the plastic decorations mounted in brackets high on buildings around the town centre to be taken down before the festive season really gets under way.
He says they should be replaced by real trees ‘more in keeping with a rural market town’. And he is questioning the origin of the plastic trees, and whether they are made using ethical labour.
But Mayor of Penistone Coun Gillian Millner says the town council which decided to use the artificial versions did so largely on safety grounds.
She said using volunteers to put up trees and take them down ‘simply got too dangerous’. “It was an accident waiting to happen,” she said.
Local volunteers from the Round Table used to put up the real trees, but now, a private company is putting up the fake trees something she admitted would cost a bit more, but the town council would own the trees and therefore save money long term through re-use.
“Real trees are nice but it’s not easy getting them put up. And they are very expensive,” she said.
“Round Tablers have helped but it took nearly two days to put them up and we had to rely on volunteers. Then there were health and safety issues with people going up ladders in all weathers.
“At the end of the day this company can do the whole thing. It might be costing a bit more but they are putting them up, taking them down and storing them.
“It was not a decision we took lightly. We have to take all issues into account. It simply got too dangerous.
“In the new year we will look at the situation and see what we are happy with and how the festive season goes. But I think the town will look nice.
“I am disappointed there are complaints, but I don’t think people really understand the logic behind what we have done.
“Once the lights are on it will be good, and safer.”
She added that one real tree was being erected in the town centre this week and felt sure Penistone would still look good for the festive season.
She ruled out taking the artificial trees down. “I hope people will understand that we think this is best in the long run,” said the mayor.
Mr Smith, chairman of Penistone 41 Club and a former Round Tabler, insists the use of plastic should be challenged at a time when there is a huge issue around its environmental impact.
“For many years the Round Table worked with the town council to put up real Christmas trees,” he said.
“I gather the decision was made partly due to the health and safety of Tablers putting up the trees and there was also the issue of re-use long term.”
Mr Smith says many people are complaining that the new trees ‘look awful’. “And they can’t be recycled,” he said. “At the end of their lives it will be landfill.
“I want to know why the town council is using plastic. Where the trees come from. And if ethical labour is being used.
“I want to see these trees removed and replaced before Christmas with something more in keeping with a rural market town,” said Mr Smith.
“The real issue here is the use of plastic at a time when it is widely acknowledged we should be reducing its use. Not to mention the trees are probably made somewhere like China and shipped to the UK.
“Real trees are recycled and grown locally. Using them supports local and UK businesses.”
Penistone ward councillor Dave Griffin said he understood the town council’s need to be as efficient as possible with public money.
“But we are at a point where we are saying we should use less plastic,” he said. “This is not an ideal image for us to put out. We grow Christmas trees ourselves.
“Perhaps the council could work with the Area Council to come up with a better solution.”
The lights switch-on is set for December 1 at 4pm in the Market Barn.
