Bright idea to light up Stirling
A scheme to bring cheer to the dark days of winter – and hopefully boost tourism – is planned for Stirling.
It aims to turn the Top of the Town into a winter wanderland in which the windows of homes and businesses are decorated and illuminated to create a trail of colour and light.
Mercat Cross and City Centre Community Council is behind the idea, which was first tried in Bristol and has spread to other communities in the UK.
It has been tried in Strathbungo and Battlefield, Glasgow, and if it is successful in Stirling it could be held annually.
Community council vicechairperson Karen BellinghamBaird said they want people to decorate windows with stencilwork, pictures, sculptures, silhouettes or anything eyecatching and attractive.
The event would take place over the end of February and beginning of March.
Karen said:“The premise is to give people something to look forward at a time of year when there is not much and happening and also generate a bit of community pride.
“We want people to go out and have a look at the windows and see there is beauty in the community and this is a good place to be.
“There will be an interactive map so that they and tourists will be able to identify the properties taking part.”
Set designer Lucy Reeves Khan created the first winter wanderland in Bristol in 2015 and has since assisted other communities in replicating the success of that first venture.
She said:“I was stuck at home for many years because of chronic pain and, while doing short therapeutic walks around the block in the winter darkness to hide my disability, I noticed that if the curtains were open in neighbours’houses I didn’t feel the pain so much.
“For years I assumed I was just a nosy parker but I realised that the light and openness