Last night, four independent traders on Moorland Road were recognised for the work they did to make ensure Moorland Road had Christmas lights last December.

Francis DIY (Rob Sampson), S&L Banable Butchers (Steve Banable), This n’ That (David Pye) and Nicholas Paul Hair Studio (Nicholas Crusie) were nominated by Cllr Will Sandry for The Chairman of the Council’s Business Award for promoting sustainable communities.

In his nomination Will wrote:

“In November and December 2010 four independent businesses brought Moorland Road to life with over 10,000 lights, 55 Christmas Trees, 20 Rope lights and one Father Christmas.
Moorland Road is the only shopping street in the whole of Bath and North East Somerset which doesn’t get its Christmas lights installed and paid for by Bath and North East Somerset Council.
In early 2010 the Moorland Road Association (Traders group) who had arranged the Christmas lights in the past was disbanded.
By early November it was realised that nobody was going to put up lights, no Father Christmas switching on the lights, and no presents for local children as there has been in previous years.
The four business nominated came together and quite simply made Christmas happen for Moorland Road. There was local fundraising to pay for a professional electrician to check the wiring, employees spent time putting up the lights and presents were wrapped for the Children. Father Christmas was also persuaded to arrive on cue.
I would like to invite the Chairman to recognise and celebrate the excellence that these four businesses have demonstrated by putting on a spectacular display of lights for the Community in and around Moorland Road.
The Community includes those of us who live in the area, and also the other businesses on Moorland Road whose Christmas trade will have been enhanced by the efforts of these four businesses.
By their actions, these four businesses have really contributed to safeguarding the long-term viability of local life in the south of Bath and at Christmas time this helped make Moorland Road an even better place to live, work and visit.”