I was at the party of the camera club last night and before the Do I when around the middle of town to see the lights. It was 8 ish and so had hardly any foot or car traffic.
What struck me was the difference between the different streets with regard to the lighting. You see the businesses pay for it those that are on the street that is. So the Narrow Street (Mitchell St), the street with the smallest shops had by far the most and best lights. The main street was poor, and it has the banks and the national chain shops, but Gladstone St was almost dark. It has most of the international chains, McDonald's, Boots, Carphone Warehouse and others.
What struck me was the difference between the different streets with regard to the lighting. You see the businesses pay for it those that are on the street that is. So the Narrow Street (Mitchell St), the street with the smallest shops had by far the most and best lights. The main street was poor, and it has the banks and the national chain shops, but Gladstone St was almost dark. It has most of the international chains, McDonald's, Boots, Carphone Warehouse and others.
Nice shots, looks like a town I'd enjoy exploring.
ReplyDeleteMmm, Clonmel is a town with a good deal if history but until relatively recently was an English town in Ireland. There would have been very very few families with a Gaelic name like mine living inside the walls to the mid 20th century.
DeleteI think it is similar here in the residential areas. I find the "poorer" sides of town often have more light displays than those on the "richer" side of town.
ReplyDeleteThe game played here is a bit different. When I was a kid the lights in the towns were good but then the big chains began buying up lots of the bigger spaces. But since they had loads of loss leaders in other areas of their enterprises they saw no reason to pay in. And since the other shops were, why did they need too anyway. That worked when there was only one or two, but when there was a good number they just made themselves look stupid and greedy. A profound error here in Ireland.
DeleteAs to houses. There is no excuse nowadays with cheap as chips LEDs drawing little more than a old lightbulb would draw in a day for a months worth of Christmassy bling.
I really like how you captured that last shot. It's quite visually appealing!
ReplyDeleteYes, I might well play a bit with that one. I think there's more in it.
DeleteOhhh, I really like the lights. I find it so festive when they streets do things together too, so the lights run back and forth and what not. So festive.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have had a merry Christmas Vince!
I will be by later this break to catch up on the rest of the posts. :)
I remember them, more, back in the day. But that could well be that they were actual bulbs, probably 100 watts.
DeleteMe, I think the council is missing a trick. It could readily put a point or two on the Rate to cover all the lights. Then really have a show. And with the LEDs putting out illumination basically for nothing it's no longer an argument about power draw.