# DEFRA ban reindeer from GOSH Christmas event in Bond Street

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/11/22/defra-ban-reindeer-gosh-christmas-event-bond-street/
- Published: 2007-11-22T00:00:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Due to Bluetongue restrictions the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs(
DEFRA) have banned reindeer from travelling to Bond Street in London for the annual
Bond Noël Christmas extravaganza in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s
Charity.

![](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/files/images/news/5193.jpg)

London falls within one of the DEFRA surveillance areas for Bluetongue and no animals
from a restricted area are allowed to travel into the surveillance area.

Model and author Sophie Dahl will be ‘flicking the switch’ on the Bond Street Christmas
lights, but the popular live reindeer will not be on the street this year.

## Advertisement

Tonight’s event features carol singers, entertainers and musicians providing the
entertainment. Bond Street itself is “transformed into a winter wonderland” with
artificial snow falling along the entire length of the street. Rickshaw sleighs 
whisk shoppers to and from the street’s designer stores.

In the face of the reindeer ban, local primary Abercorn School has volunteered its
choir of 20 boys and girls to entertain the crowds, wearing their reindeer antlers.