It may be a little under a month away, but Christmas came early to the small Kent town of Westerham this week as the annual light switch-on commenced. Although the main lights were already shining, it was the tree that hundreds of locals gathered on a mild Thursday evening to watch light up, and the town celebrated in traditional style. All the local restaurants and businesses, from the estate agents to the dry cleaners, opened their doors for one night only, offering champagne and warming mince pies in the midst of the pre- Christmas fever that gripped the town. The main road, usually packed with parked cars, was instead crammed with iconic fairground activities like the tea cups and candyfloss vendors. Elsewhere, local restaurants sold hot plates of delicious food on the streets to passers-by. Whether it was these attractions, or the guest star of the evening, it was not to be missed and the crowds turned out in their masses.
By 18.30, those who had turned out for the evening were largely converging on the main green for the big event. It was former JLS star turned local farmer, Jonathan ‘JB’ Gill, who the huddled crowds wanted but they were forced to wait in typical Westerham fashion as poor traffic delayed his arrival. It was almost 19.00 when the man everyone was waiting for, alongside Santa Claus, arrived in a Shire horse drawn carriage, and the crowds stirred back into life as he took the stage and illuminated the nearby tree with the pull of a lever. The attendees were more pre-occupied with meeting their idol however, and the singer was swamped as he left the stage. Catching up with him along the road, I asked him what his impression of the evening was and what he thought of the great community spirit of the locals: “It was brilliant seeing everyone come out together”, he said, admitting himself that he was “a bit of local”- he owns a farm in neighbouring Biggin Hill. He was soon gone, leaving the rest of the evening in the hands of Santa and some local singers.
Although the shops closed at 21.00, many stayed later to enjoy the early Christmas atmosphere in town. The turning on of the Westerham Christmas Lights and its accompanying late night shopping is an annual event, but judging by the masses that turned out this year, it may have been the best yet.
Shane Ward- Charles Darwin School
