Festoon lighting is to be installed on Douglas’s South Quay.

The decision follows the popularity of the town’s Christmas lights display.

Douglas Council’s environmental committee agreed festoon lighting on the North Quay had ’added to the nighttime atmosphere’ of the area, and moved to seek funding to extend the display to the South Quay, as part of a continuing effort to enhance the area.

Although the initiative will make use of festoon lighting formerly installed on Douglas Promenade but removed during the refurbishment, additional costs will be incurred, including new lamps, lamp holders, globes, control boxes and control box components, catenary wire and brackets are required, bringing the current budget to £22,444 - a figure approved by the executive committee at this month’s sitting.

Councillor Falk Horning is pleased the initiative can now move forward.

He said that the old promenade festoons would include ’updated LED light bulbs’ and that ’we are going to invest quite a bit of money to make it more energy efficient, [and] to improve its longevity’.

’But absolutely it’s a very well sought-after item [the festoons] and we really hope that the whole of South Quay is going to look more attractive, and [this will] spur a little investment in the area,’ Mr Horning added.

’Many of the buildings there could use some additional investment, and there is already some building work developing there, which is really fantastic to see.’