Illuminating the High Street: How the BID Is Bringing Long-Term Christmas Cheer to Fort William

We are very pleased to share how the BID Fort William has contributed significantly to the festive enhancement of the town centre by funding new Christmas lighting infrastructure that will benefit businesses, visitors and residents for many years to come.

A Major Festive Upgrade

Thanks to the BID’s support, the town centre will soon see a major festive upgrade, with a total investment of £16,374 (including VAT) allocated to deliver new lighting and infrastructure.

This funding covers:

• 20 new traditional Christmas lights across the High Street.
• 20 light braids (string-light sets) that can remain in place for longer periods, adding a welcoming ambience throughout the festive season and beyond.
• The necessary infrastructure required to support these lights: brackets for mounting, plug-splitters for the street lamps and other appropriate locations.

These investments are not simply seasonal decorations; they represent a long-term benefit for the town and the High Street, enabling a higher standard of presentation that helps businesses, improves the visitor experience and supports community vitality.

Karen Dean, representing the Fort William Festive Fund, reflected on the positive impact of this partnership:

“As a group we have been active since 2018 lighting up Fort William for the community every year. Our greatest wish has always been to improve the light display in the town, but this has always been a stretch too far because of the fundraising we had to do to pay for the lights to be installed. 

Now with the help & support of the BID Board and Mary, we have been fortunate in securing funding to purchase new lights for the High Street and we are delighted these are now on order. As we get closer to the delivery date and installation of the lights we are excited to see how much more festive the town will look this year. We are so looking forward to seeing everyone on 28th November and we cannot thank the BID enough for supporting us in this project.”

Her words capture the shared enthusiasm of many local residents and businesses. This collaboration demonstrates how BID funding can help transform community-led ambitions into visible, long-term improvements that benefit everyone who lives, works, and visits Fort William.

Why This Matters for Businesses

The lighting upgrade brings multiple benefits for local traders and the wider town economy:

• Increased footfall & dwell time: An attractive, well-lit High Street encourages visitors to stay longer, explore more shops, cafés and restaurants, and make purchases. Research shows that enhanced lighting and festive décor can stimulate consumer interest and spending. Blachere Illumination

   

• Improved ambience and perception: A brightly lit, visually appealing street creates a positive impression of the town as a destination. A study of UK town centres found that consumers felt better about being in the town centre when festive decorations were in place. Oxford Brookes University

   

• Competitive edge over online and out-of-town shopping: With the shift of many purchases online, the physical retail environment needs to offer something extra. Festive lighting is part of that experience, helping draw shoppers into stores rather than staying at home. GOV.UK Assets+1

   

• Marketing and promotional value: Lighting and decorations act as visual marketing tools for the town. They provide photo-opportunities, enhance social media sharing, and boost the town’s profile, which ultimately benefits businesses collectively.

   

• Cost-effective long term infrastructure: The investment covers both the lights and the infrastructure (brackets, plug splitters etc.) meaning that future seasons will incur lower installation costs, and the lighting can be reused and maintained rather than replaced annually.

   

• Supporting community and visitor economy: With our town attracting visitors from near and far, a strong festive environment encourages tourism spend, dining out and connected business activity. Domestic tourist spending during the festive season in the UK has been estimated at £2.5 billion. VisitBritain.org

   

How the Partnership Came Together

The BID engaged in negotiation with the Fort William Festive Fund over several months to make this lighting enhancement happen. The Festive Fund, which has done so much for the local community, is the delivery partner for this initiative, and the BID are very proud to be involved with them. This collaboration underlines how local businesses and community organisations working together can deliver real, visible improvements to the town centre.

Long-Term Benefit for the Town

This lighting upgrade is not just a one-year project. Thanks to the infrastructure investment and the reusable nature of the lights and mounting equipment, the High Street will benefit for many years. The presence of lighting helps set a standard for the town centre environment, supports wider place-making efforts and ensures that Fort William remains a vibrant, welcoming destination throughout the winter and festive period

By investing in 20 new lights, 20 light-braids and the supporting infrastructure, the BID has made a strategic move that supports local businesses, improves visitor experience and boosts the town’s profile. These lighting improvements will help draw people to our High Street, encourage spending, enhance appearance and provide long-term value. These light braids will continue to illuminate the High Street during the off-season, helping to create a more attractive and welcoming environment for visitors and residents alike. We are proud to support the initiative with the Festive Fund and look forward to seeing the positive impact across the town this year and in the future. The Christmas light switch on will be on Friday 28th November.