Christmas lighting is one of the most visible ways a BID can deliver value for levy payers. A well-designed scheme can support footfall, dwell time, visitor experience, destination marketing, evening economy activity, business engagement and local pride.

Every BID has different priorities, so the scheme should be designed around the client’s actual objectives. For some BIDs, the priority may be increasing visitors into the core retail area. For others, it may be growing the catchment area, improving links between different streets, supporting hospitality, strengthening the evening economy, creating campaign content, or giving independent businesses a stronger seasonal platform.

Our approach starts by understanding what the BID needs the scheme to achieve. We then design the lighting around that outcome. This could include landmark installations to attract visitors from neighbouring towns, photo-friendly features for marketing campaigns, lighting trails to improve movement across the BID area, or targeted displays to support specific retail and hospitality zones.

We have helped clients realise footfall increases of up to 12% through well-considered festive schemes. Results depend on location, baseline footfall, wider marketing activity, events, weather, retail conditions and how the scheme is promoted, but the right design can make a measurable contribution to BID objectives.

Yes. Lighting can provide the visual centrepiece for a BID’s Christmas campaign.

Well-placed installations create content that can be used across social media, websites, press activity, newsletters, event listings and levy-payer communications. Features such as walk-through installations, illuminated photo points, branded displays, statement trees and lighting trails can help generate visitor engagement and give the BID a clear seasonal story to promote.

Lighting also helps connect marketing activity with the physical visitor experience. Instead of promoting Christmas in the area as a general message, the BID can give people specific reasons to visit, explore, photograph, share and return.

BIDs should ideally begin planning Christmas lighting between January and spring, especially where the scheme involves new designs, bespoke products, structural reviews, permissions or a wider marketing campaign.

Early planning gives more time to define objectives, agree budgets, develop creative concepts, coordinate with stakeholders, secure product availability and plan installation around local trading conditions.

For bespoke or imported products, early commitment is particularly important. Late decisions can restrict design choice, increase pressure on manufacturing timelines and reduce flexibility around installation programming.

A clear planning cycle also helps the BID communicate better with levy payers, showing that the investment is strategic rather than reactive.

Yes. A strong scheme should support the whole BID area, not just the daytime retail core.

For retailers, lighting can improve the attractiveness of shopping streets, support seasonal campaigns and encourage additional visits. For hospitality businesses, it can help create a more welcoming evening environment, encouraging people to stay longer, move between venues and spend more time in the area after dark.

Schemes can be designed to connect retail streets with restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels, theatres, transport links and public spaces. This is particularly valuable where a BID wants to support the evening economy or encourage visitors to explore beyond one primary street.

Yes. Many BIDs now use lighting beyond Christmas to support place-making, events, campaigns and destination identity throughout the year.

Year-round options can include festoon lighting, tree lighting, architectural lighting, public realm features, seasonal installations, event lighting, summer schemes, winter lighting, and lighting designed around specific campaigns or cultural moments.

This can help BIDs maintain visibility outside the Christmas period and support wider objectives such as evening economy growth, visitor experience, safety perception, public space animation and local business promotion.