Neighbour finds our christmas lights "annoying"...

claire16c

I was just doing a search to find the house thats a few miles away from me to see if the guy still does the lights on his house and raised money for charity. Well it looks like he got banned by the council for being a nuisance to neighbours and now is not allowed so many lights (he had 20,000 apparently!) but, says he raised £55k for charity. Hes apparently only allowed 300 lights and 4 seven foot inflatables. But was asked to decorate his nearest town instead.

However, it doesnt say why he was being a nuisance - I suspect it was down to the traffic it created and not the lights themselves.

But the article is from 2007 so not sure if hes still doing any kind of display now.

Edit - just found a daily mail article about it - and a picture!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-495025/Neighbours-wage-Scrooge-like-vendetta-fathers-Christmas-light-show.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-496367/Ho-Ho-Dunnit--object-house-22-000-Christmas-lights.html


just found a more recent one 2009 - seems his ban has expired!

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2057624_the_return_of_christmas_vic

Tropez

claire16c wrote: »

I was just doing a search to find the house thats a few miles away from me to see if the guy still does the lights on his house and raised money for charity. Well it looks like he got banned by the council for being a nuisance to neighbours and now is not allowed so many lights (he had 20,000 apparently!) but, says he raised £55k for charity. Hes apparently only allowed 300 lights and 4 seven foot inflatables. But was asked to decorate his nearest town instead.

However, it doesnt say why he was being a nuisance - I suspect it was down to the traffic it created and not the lights themselves.

But the article is from 2007 so not sure if hes still doing any kind of display now.

Edit - just found a daily mail article about it - and a picture!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-495025/Neighbours-wage-Scrooge-like-vendetta-fathers-Christmas-light-show.html


just found a more recent one 2009 - seems his ban has expired!

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2057624_the_return_of_christmas_vic

Good grief. I'd either have to move or take month-long holidays every year if I had to put up with that.

claire16c

Tropez wrote: »

Good grief. I'd either have to move or take month-long holidays every year if I had to put up with that.

Ive only been to see it once, probably about 15 years ago. It was pretty huge :rotfl:

This one has a close up picture of one bit of the house. I remember in the bay windows there were nativity scenes and all sorts.


"Welcome to West Drive, Sonning, Berkshire, where accountants retire and Rotary Club stalwarts seek peace. Stroll up this tree-lined private road, and you will spy substantial modern homes in quiet mock Tudor. At number 25, you will see white walls and a single porch light. At number 27, you will admire the pristine front lawn.

And at number 29… well, number 29 is a bit different. Herein, for some of the Rotary stalwarts - and perhaps the police - lies the problem. Number 29 is a blaze of flashing, clashing lights. Lights on the roof, lights on the lawn, lights on the lights - more than 20,000 of them."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1505212/Lights-cameras-legal-action.html

Tropez

claire16c wrote: »

Ive only been to see it once, probably about 15 years ago. It was pretty huge :rotfl:

This one has a close up picture of one bit of the house. I remember in the bay windows there were nativity scenes and all sorts.


"Welcome to West Drive, Sonning, Berkshire, where accountants retire and Rotary Club stalwarts seek peace. Stroll up this tree-lined private road, and you will spy substantial modern homes in quiet mock Tudor. At number 25, you will see white walls and a single porch light. At number 27, you will admire the pristine front lawn.

And at number 29… well, number 29 is a bit different. Herein, for some of the Rotary stalwarts - and perhaps the police - lies the problem. Number 29 is a blaze of flashing, clashing lights. Lights on the roof, lights on the lawn, lights on the lights - more than 20,000 of them."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1505212/Lights-cameras-legal-action.html

:rotfl: Dear me.

See, I might not be the type to decorate the outside of my home like something out Paris Hilton's wet dreams but I can tolerate it easy enough. Even the berk of a neighbour I have who leaves his lights on 24/7 so that I have to move to another room in order to do my work and watch TV isn't that annoying on the scale of things...

But "dozens" of people per night? "1000s of cars"? I hate to think how much noise and whatnot that creates, nor the fact that is attracting people to an upmarket area and making it easier for potential burglars to size up people's houses through the extra light being created whilst blending in with the crowd.

In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the owner of that home was burgled eventually. Elaborate Christmas displays scream "I've got money!" to burglars, which they equate to plenty of gifts lying around come January.

But ignoring the potential for crime, as that isn't really in the spirit of things, it just seems like such a nuisance!

claire16c

Yeah I remember thinking when I was younger wow he must have a huge electric bill but now Im older I realise he could afford it because he lived in a friggn mansion, I dont think I realised that when I was just concentrating on looking at the lights - infact I thought some of the lights were on his neighbours house I didnt realise it was only his! So yeah its definitely going to attract people to an area they wouldnt go to otherwise.

I remember there was a slow moving queue when we were in the car, but it wasnt bad until you got til the actual road. But perhaps it got worse as time went on!

claire16c

Festive Facists is the topic on the Wright Stuff this morning!

Pops27

It is 1.30 am and for the second night in a row my neighbours have left their flashing blue Christmas lights on all night. I can still see them through the blinds. Am I being unreasonable for them to be switched off before bed time? Should I appreoach them. he is a known grump! Thanks.

toontron

I don't get the whole decorate your house business and think it would be a bit like fully decorating your Christmas tree, and then stuffing it in the garage so you couldn't see it. I find them tacky in the exteme.

Edinburghlass_2

Ch4 just now, who will be the King of Lights, areas decorating their houses with lights and who brings in the biggest crowds, love it

ps aliasojo, lots of polar bears!

docmatt

Nuffin rong with Christmas lights. Here is my house...



I know it's a big house but we get it from da council cus we hav 9 kids. We don't get electric bills, its much easier buyin' the leccy from our local Costcutter. besides, my mate Dave knows how to bypass da meter

Anyway, it's almost half nine in da evening, time for sum breakfast then off to da pub in my Corsa.

merry Xmas peeps

Wayne x