Christmas by easyJet - Luton's Christmas Lights Switch On

Luton's festive lights switched on by actor Leslie Grantham and sponsored by easyJet.

Not the whole of Luton's Christmas Lights for 2013

On Saturday 7th December the 2013 Christmas Lights Switch On took place in Luton.

The guest celebrity switcher-onner at this year's Lighting Up Luton event was Leslie 'Dirty Den' Grantham, who is currently in the pantomime Dick Whittington 'over the border' at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable.

Leslie Grantham next to the big plunger before the lights went on

Earlier this year there had been talks of the town having no Christmas lights in 2013 due to the budget cuts affecting Luton Borough Council. However, Luton-based easyJet, and a number of other sponsors involved in the Love Luton campaign, stepped in to save them.

Here's a video of the practice countdown, led by Leslie Grantham.

As well as the stars of the Dick Whittington, the characters from the Luton Library Theatre panto of Beauty and the Beast were in attendance at the event at Luton Town Hall*, along with the team from Heart Four Counties radio.

Luton's Christmas Tree all lit up

A nice touch were the 'Christmas by easyJet' hats. Very cheesy, but good fun.

The pointiest Christmas hat in Luton yesterday evening at quarter past five

Personally I would've liked it if ALL of the lights had been lit up in easyJet's distinctive orange branding!

Some of the Christmas lights along George Street in Luton

Links:

- easyJet

- Luton Borough Council

- Love Luton campaign

* Luton Town Hall is a wonderful Art Deco building in the centre of town and it has a very interesting history indeed.

Luton's second Town Hall, built after the first one was burned down in a Peace Day Riot!