Christmas lights have long been big attractions for drawing consumers into town and city centres. And major London West End landlord Shaftesbury Capital has announced a “ground-breaking” new light scheme will be coming to Carnaby Street this festive season, including a first-of-its-kind approach for lights in the capital with a sustainable focus.

Called ‘Into the Light’, the installations will feature over 60,000 fully programmable LEDs, promising “dynamic light displays daily”. 

In a claimed first for London, the system will create “stop-and-pause moments on one of the country’s most iconic shopping and dining destinations and enhancing the overall visitor experience”.

Partnering with Sculptivate, the creative production and design studio, the new Christmas lights will feature focal points of large star installations at gateways on Carnaby Street, complemented by six-metre-long sculptural light forms suspended along the street. 

The installation extends into Kingly Court, where cascading curtains of light will adorn the balconies, “evoking a cosy, intimate atmosphere within Soho’s alfresco dining spot”.

The UK-made light structures will be powered by energy from renewable sources, and are intended to be a fixture of Carnaby Street Christmas for at least five years. 

Shaftesbury Capital said the scheme can be adapted each year, “adding something that can be re-used but is still capable of generating new reasons to enjoy all that Carnaby Street and Soho has to offer”.

Michelle McGrath, executive director at Shaftesbury Capital, said: “Soho and Carnaby Street has an incredibly rich history of innovation, design and positively connecting with people. The new Christmas lights scheme on Carnaby Street, right in the heart of the West End, embodies this, with a long term investment which takes a creative and more sustainable approach.

“As with our other destinations, we passionately believe that this beautiful, well-designed and high quality lighting scheme with a longer term vision for Carnaby Street will build cherished Christmas experiences which inspire and excite Londoners and visitors alike.”

Carnaby Street’s new Christmas lights will be switched on as of 7 November, followed by six weeks of activity across the neighbourhood.