A bar in Britain’s gay capital is getting in the festive spirit early and being ”camp as Christmas”– by putting up 50,000 festive LIGHTS.
Poison Ivy – which has been renamed Santaland for the festive period – is completely filled with festive lights and decorations – including ten six-foot tall candy canes.
Owners have turned the karaoke bar, in Brighton, East Sussex, into a fairy kingdom, buy splashing out an astonishing £1,800 on decorations – at a pound shop.
The tiny festive wonderland is a year-round homage to Christmas, but with the actual event drawing closer its owners decided they had to turn the cheer up a notch.
Every possible surface is filled with glitter, tinsel baubles, banners and sparkly beads.
Event and cabaret manager Sam Pink said: “Most of it came from the pound shop.
“We spent about £1,800 in there and didn’t even get so much as packet of free baubles.”
Thanks to their bright rainbow lights, the bar is busier than ever – with punters even queuing out the door for a Cadbury’s Roses-flavour shot.
Sam, 29, said: “Saturday night was unbelievable.”
Owner James Green said the makeover had been so popular that up to 400 people had to be turned away on Saturday night because the bar was full.
He said: “This is the first year we’ve done it and it’s already been a success.
“We don’t get any Christmas lights in St James’s Street so we thought we would do something about it and try something a bit different just to spread some festive cheer to the area.
“Fitting the 50,000 fairy lights into a room was a bit tough and took a long time to put together but it looks good and everyone seems to be enjoying it.”
Guests are served by Santa’s little helpers and have to pass through reindeer door staff.
Inside, there is also a glowing snowmen and numerous bearded Father Christmas decorations.
Sam added: “The bar is as camp as Christmas.
“We’ll never get bored of it.”
