Scartho village’s iconic cherry tree that has stood at the Scartho fork roundabout for 50 years was replaced this Christmas, with mixed responses to its necessary removal.
It was discovered that the tree, which has lit up the village each year with its christmas lights, was riddled with a fungal disease.
Following this discovery, North East Lincolnshire Council announced that the tree posed a risk to traffic and pedestrians, it was therefore decided that there were no remaining options but to remove it in the near future.
With big shoes to fill for locals I spoke to some long term Scartho residents about how this change to the landscape has been noticed by them since the tree was sadly removed…
With the removal of the locally famous christmas lights from the cherry tree in preparation for the tree’s future demolition, local councillors made an unsuccessful bid earlier this year to save the doomed village centrepiece dubbed “a little Scartho-y landmark” by one local resident that I spoke to.
Ron Shepherd and Ian Lindley were the Scartho ward councillors who stood up for the roundabout’s main inhabitant.
The pair requested that the lights be returned to the tree and the local authority’s decision be rescinded.
Despite this, the council then pushed forward with its plans and the tree was removed on the 15th of November 2017, by Christmas a replacement tree had been planted in its predecessors cherished spot.
This did go forward with support by the two councillors by the end of their bid to protect Scartho’s landmark tree, as the reasons for felling the tree related to the safety of the public.
Following its removal, the 50 year old cherry tree has been replaced with a mature fir tree to reflect the important role to be played over christmas in the village.
When asked whether she thought Scartho’s councillors had done their bit for the village’s cherished cherry tree, local resident Molly, aged 20, responded with “yeah, it was nice, nice to see that it was valued”.
Whereas another resident, Tracey, who has lived in the area for more than 40 years made it clear that she thought health and safety should come first: “I’m not happy that the tree itself has come down, but people’s safety is always the most important thing”.
