The columns lit along the streets, the carpet of lights on Victoria Road, the trees illuminated near the former museum site, all quietly signal that Christmas has arrived. What is less visible is the local commitment, year after year, that makes it happen.
For Pete McCallum, founder of TECC, the Old Town Christmas lights are not just another contract.
“I’m a Swindon lad, born and bred,” he says. Born locally in 1982, just around the corner from Old Town, Pete has spent his life rooted in the town. That connection is the reason TECC has now installed the Old Town Christmas lights for four consecutive years.
When South Swindon Parish Council approached TECC about getting involved, the decision was straightforward.
“It was a no brainer to get involved,” Pete explains. “I’m very passionate about activities and engagement within Swindon.”
That sense of local responsibility runs through the entire project. The Old Town Christmas lights are not a small undertaking. Each year the installation covers between 60 and 70 lamppost columns, shopfront displays around key areas including Blaylocks and Hooper’s Place, illuminated trees, seven catenary wires across Wood Street, and the centrepiece, a carpet of lights stretching along Victoria Road.
“It’s probably the showpiece part of the lights,” Pete says, describing the Victoria Road installation.
For the Old Town Business Association, the Christmas Festival where they get turned on, are its largest annual event cost. A partnership with South Swindon Parish Council who fund the installation and takedown, makes the putting up of the lights possible.
Looking ahead, Pete believes Old Town has an opportunity to think bigger and smarter about how lighting is used.
“At the moment, the lights are very Christmas focused,” he says. “But there’s equipment out there now where lights can stay up year-round and be reprogrammed for different events.”
He points to towns and cities nearby that already use lighting trails to drive footfall throughout the year.
“When I’m out with my family, I’ll buy the coffees, the hot chocolates, the cakes,” he says. “I don’t mind spending money when we’re out doing activities. That’s the big benefit to Old Town, creating reasons for people to come back again and again.”
It is a practical view, shaped not just by technical knowledge, but by lived experience of how families use town centres.
TECC itself reflects that same long-term thinking. Founded by Pete in 2006, the business will celebrate 20 years next March. Based locally, the company employs a full-time office team of five, including Pete and Maria, a husband and wife team, alongside around 15 to 16 technical staff in the field. This includes qualified electricians, apprentices coming through the trade, and specialist PAT testing teams, supported by subcontractors on larger projects.
Their work ranges from small domestic jobs to large commercial and industrial projects, including LED lighting upgrades, solar installations and EV chargers. Much of their client base remains local, with long-standing relationships across Swindon, including ongoing work for South Swindon Parish Council.
“We focus on electrical compliance and working collectively with customers to maintain safety,” Pete explains. Fire alarms, emergency lighting, electrical inspections and PAT testing make up the majority of their work, much of it repeat business built over decades.
That focus comes from seeing first-hand what happens when safety slips.
“The biggest risk is fire safety,” Pete says. “Poorly maintained wiring can lead to fires or electric shock. Those are the worst-case scenarios.”
His advice is simple, but serious. Make sure fire alarms work. Fix broken switches and sockets. Do not ignore visible problems.
Outside work, Pete’s life looks much like many other parents in Swindon. He plays football weekly, is looking forward to the opening of a new padel tennis club in Greenbridge, and spends much of his free time ferrying his son to football matches.
That ordinariness is part of what makes the Old Town Christmas lights story resonate. The people behind them are not distant contractors. They are parents, business owners, neighbours, and residents who care about how their town feels.
For the Old Town Business Association, partnerships like this are what make large community events possible. For TECC, it is a chance to give something back to the streets that shaped Pete’s early life.
Each time the lights are switched on, they quietly tell a story of collaboration, local skill, and pride in place. And for Pete, that is exactly how it should be.
