From the bauble tree to the council asking for a refund - Peterborough's relationship with Christmas trees as Serpentine Green replaces theirs

Serpentine Green Shopping Centre has replaced their Christmas Tree – after hundreds of people spoke of their dislike of the original.

The Hampton centre put up their tree and decorations last week, with a thin, silver artificial tree being placed outside the new Mountain Warehouse store.

The tree was interactive, allowing shoppers to change the colour of the lights.

However, it was not a popular addition to the centre.

When The Peterborough Telegraph posted a picture of the tree last week, we received more than 1,200 comments – mainly with negative opinions coming from readers.

Aimée Louise Spinks-Carter said: “That's not a tree That's a pipe cleaner!”

Bertie Baxter added: “I saw it yesterday and it is even worse in real life, and it gets worse the longer you look at it...”

Kirstiann Murray Saunders summed up most people’s opinion when they said: “Oh for the love of Christmas take it down !! What an absolute eyesore !! Why can we not just have normal green trees.”

The Peterborough Telegraph contacted Serpentine Green earlier this week, who made no comment on the feedback on the initial tree other than to say that the display was being updated.

That update has now happened, with a smaller – but greener – tree now in place, complete with blue and silver baubles.

The Christmas tree crisis is not the first to hit Peterborough in recent times – in fact, it seems barely a year goes by without some sort of tree based controversy.

It all started in 2011, when a stunning lights display – with netting, containing lights and giant baubles over Cathedral Square – was installed.

However, some of the baubles crashed to the floor.

But the real controversy began in 2015, when the city council introduced the ‘metal’ tree into Cathedral Square, instead of a traditional ‘real’ tree.

The artificial tree gained a number of nicknames – not all suitable for a family audience – and was likened to a ‘croquembouche’ tower of profiteroles.

While the idea was to save the council money, with an initial £40,000 outlay, but the tree was expected to last for five years.

But after four years, it proved so unpopular it was given away to Wisbech a year ahead of schedule.

In 2021, a ‘real’ Christmas Tree was back in Peterborough city centre – but opinions of the chosen festive centrepiece were still poor.

Some commenters on the Peterborough Telegraph website and social media platforms suggesting it looked as if it has been “dragged through a hedge backwards.”

In fact, it got so bad that Peterborough City Council had tried to get it replaced – and even a refund – because of its poor appearance.

Then deputy leader of the council, Steve Allen said at the time: “We acknowledge the tree is not of the quality we would expect and are in discussion with the supplier regarding some form of compensation.

“As an environmentally conscious city we do not want to replace the current tree, which would involve having to destroy it prematurely and transport a new one in.”

Last year at the Orton Gate shopping centre, residents even supplied their own tree after no decorations were put up in the precinct.

This year, the new owners of the centre have pledged to spend £20,000 on decorations.

Lets hope that this year’s Cathedral Square tree is given a more positive welcome, after it arrived this morning!