Happy Christmas Ealing!
Is it too early to have the festive lights up?
It's still early October yet the Christmas decorations are already making an appearance at the Ealing Broadway shopping centre.
Signs the winter festival may be getting underway already are marked by twinkling lights strung along Oak Road and across the main square.
"To be honest, I hadn't even noticed, this is the first I've heard of it! It does seem a bit early, but it doesn't surprise me. No one mentioned it to me...it's hard to tell if it will affect business." said EB Flowers owner, Graham. His business has been at the centre for three years following a move from Broadway Station. He adds: "Things change and you got to go with the flow."
On Oak Road, 'Rumbles' gift shop employee Emile said, "My opinion is its ludicrous! I only noticed them yesterday to be honest, but I thinks it's crazy because it's really early. But, Christmas lights are happy so it's okay, and the centre is in charge of that decision I guess".
Time will tell if the 'early' presence of the lights will affect the shopping habits of visitors to the centre and prompt later trading hours to begin sooner than December, but as things stand, the decision to erect the lights in early October doesn't seem to present much pressure on consumers, nor do they appear a subject for contention.
We asked Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre for comment and they say contrary to what customers think the lights currently on display are not Christmas ones.
On the forum EBSC spokesperson Lucy Thomas says:
'' The lighting in Town Square has been up for over a year now. The Christmas decorations for the centre will be installed week commencing 14th November, our Christmas market starts on 18th November and we will have our Christmas experience from 19th November onwards. From that point on we will be wishing all our shoppers and visitors a very merry Christmas but until then, it is business as usual.''
Words and images Rory Thomas
Is it too early? Discuss on the
October 12, 2016