Bonfire nights cancelled across the country as budget cuts & expensive fireworks slash popular events

BONFIRE Night has been cancelled across the country as budget cuts and expensive fireworks slash popular events.

Manchester, Nottingham, Norwich and Glasgow are just some of the areas axing Guy Fawkes displays due to financial strains.

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From Hackney to Kingston, councils and volunteers across London have also had to put a stop to their celebrations.

Clissold Park’s fireworks in Hackney were cancelled last year due to budget issues and have been again.

The firework displays in Southwark Park, Crystal Palace Park and Victoria Park will not be taking place this year.

Meanwhile Kingston Rotary and Kingston Round Table clubs have cancelled their event.

They said: “It is with great sadness that Kingston Rotary & Kingston Round Table clubs are announcing that we will not be able to run the annual Fireworks Display at the Kingston Weir Archer Athletics Stadium on 3rd November 2023.

“Despite our best efforts to meet the more stringent regulations covering crowd safety issues, the demands from key stakeholders, the lack of support from the Borough Safety Advisory Group and the Police South West Events Team, it has become clear that it would be difficult, costly & very time consuming to put on a safe and successful event this year similar to those in the past.

“This very successful community event has been running since 1992 and at least £200,000 has been donated to local charities.”

Lewisham Council is also not having the Blackheath fireworks.

Aberdeenshire Council cited issues with costs and “regulations” as the reasons for cancelling their display.

Banff fireworks will no longer go ahead as planned on November 5.

Manchester City Council has said it will instead provide family-focused activities including pumpkin carving, “Halloween in the City” and a Christmas parade.

And Nottingham City Council is the latest to confirm it will not host a fireworks display come November 5.

The council said it undertook the decision following “increasing financial pressures in a very difficult current economic climate”, reports The Telegraph.

The cancellation of Bonfire Night celebrations is predicted to claw back around £33,000 for the city council.

Meanwhile, Norwich City Council has not held a fireworks night event since 2019.

The council claimed that “costs have doubled” since the last display four years ago.

And Glasgow Life, which runs culture and leisure services for Glasgow City Council, said it has diverted resources for other events around the festive period.

It comes as Gravesend’s annual fireworks display won’t take place this year after the council was unable to secure a sponsor for the event.

Gravesham council has said it understands some will be left “disappointed” after the riverside show was cancelled.

The local authority tried to find sponsorship instead of funding the event with taxpayers’ money but were unable to find a solution.

Locals in Darlington were also left disheartened after their fireworks were cancelled.

Cllr Jonathan Dulston reiterated that the display was too expensive and the council did not have the funds to deliver the display.

Perth and Kinross Council have also agreed restrictions on Bonfire Night festivities.

This includes reducing the size of the bonfire by 25 per cent and starting the display with lower noise fireworks and muffled music.

While the free Swansea City Council beach fireworks display has been scrapped to make way for a “Night at the Movies” ticketed event.

Meanwhile an annual fireworks display in West Lancashire has been cancelled after over 40 years over “safety issues” and rising costs.

Bonfire Night celebrations at the Red Lion in Newburgh were cancelled due to insurance costs.

Rob Watling, owner of Peak Fireworks in Nottingham, said sharp increases in the cost of fireworks were a major factor in the decisions.

Mr Watling estimated around 90 per cent of fireworks are imported from China.

He said: “In the past few years, shipping costs have increased by over 400 per cent.”