Popular West London Christmas light trail cancelled yet again amid spiralling costs

A Christmas light trail that's been dazzling West London families for nearly two decades has been axed this year amid financial concerns. The Enchanted Woodland at Syon Park regularly attracts over 25,000 people but now 'ever-increasing overheads' have left the event's future up in the air.

Organisers have announced the event will not be going ahead this festive period as they don't want to pass the expense 'directly on to customers'. In a statement, organisers of the Enchanted Woodland said: "We know that a lot of our loyal visitors came every year and saw it as a start to their festive season, and we're sorry to disappoint.

"Having said that, I guarantee that those of us who worked every night on the event since 2005, on top of the day job, and who saw it go from a distinctly 'home-made' event to something that we were pretty proud of, will be more disappointed."

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This is the second year in a row the Brentford attraction has pulled the plug after struggling to find a contractor to help with the installation in 2023. Disappointed crowds were told at the time that an even more spectacular trail was being planned for the following year but this has evidently fallen through.

The Brentford manor has decided instead to replace the four-weekend long trail with a two-day market on November 22 and 23. Over 40 stalls selling food, accessories, skincare, homeware, and Christmas goods will be setting up in the conservatory in the middle of the manor's sprawling gardens.

When The Enchanted Woodland first launched 19 years ago, it was thought to be the first light trail of its kind in the southeast of England. It now faces competition from neighbouring attraction Kew Garden's annual Christmas light trail, as well as a new Halloween-themed one.

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