Glastonbury has secured a 30ft Christmas tree for this year after town council staff visited a local supplier to choose the tree in person.

The Town Clerk and Assistant Town Clerk visited the supplier at the end of July, with Glastonbury Town Council saying it has now ordered one of the last locally available trees of that size.

The tree will form the centrepiece of the town's Christmas celebrations later this year, with the Market Square lights due to be switched on during the Frost Fayre on Saturday, 28 November. The Christmas tree lights are scheduled to be turned on at 5 pm.

The council said securing large Christmas trees is becoming increasingly difficult, with trees reaching between 30ft and 35ft taking around 25 years to grow.

It said growers are facing rising costs and environmental pressures, including hotter and drier summers which can affect growth rates.

The supplier told the council that very large Christmas trees are becoming increasingly scarce and that trees of the size traditionally used in Glastonbury may not always be available in future. The council said the tree ordered for this year was the last locally available example at around 30ft.

As a result, the council is already considering how Glastonbury's Christmas tree could be presented in future years if similarly large trees become harder to obtain.

One option under consideration is using a slightly smaller tree with a different support system, allowing more of the trunk to remain above ground rather than being placed below ground. The council said this could help retain the overall height of the display while making installation and decorating easier.

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No decision has been made on future arrangements, and the council said it remains committed to providing a Christmas tree for the town each year.

Residents are also being invited to give their views on the future of the town's Christmas tree through a feedback form published by Glastonbury Town Council.

This year's tree will be part of the Frost Fayre celebrations on 28 November, when stalls, performances and entertainment will run across the town centre from 10 am until 6 pm.

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