Bonfire night is CANCELLED! Manchester becomes latest council to scrap November 5 firework events while blaming cost-of-living crisis
- Manchester City Council had planned to hold event in Heaton Park in November
- Event would have been the first public fireworks display since 2019 due to Covid
- But they have scrapped the display, blaming ‘escalating costs’ for the decision
- It comes after public displays were scrapped in Hackney, Cardiff and Dundee
Bonfire night will go off without a bang in Manchester this year, after a council scrapped its annual firework display, blaming ‘escalating costs’.
Residents in the city had been hoping to enjoy their first public bonfire night display since 2019 – with previous shows having been cancelled due to Covid.
But council chiefs now say this year’s event, which was due to be held at the city’s Heaton Park, will not go ahead.
The authority has blamed a ‘combination of factors’ for the decision to cancel the event, with one being ‘increased pressure’ on the authority’s budget.
It comes after public displays were shelved in Hackney, in London, as well as in Dundee, Cardiff and Liverpool.
Manchester City Council says it is now looking at ‘reprioritising budgets’ to look at more community events through winter, focusing on ‘fun free activities for families and young people.’
But it means no free council-organised bonfire and fireworks displays will take place at council parks in Manchester this year.
Some residents took to social media to fume at the decision, with one person writing: ‘Council tax doesn’t really provide great value for money these days does it.’
Residents in the city had been hoping to enjoy their first public bonfire night display since 2019 (pictured) – with previous shows having been cancelled due to Covid
Manchester City Council, who released this statement today (pictured), says it is now looking at ‘reprioritising budgets’ to look at more community events through winter, focusing on ‘fun free activities for families and young people’
Another wrote: ‘If we can’t afford a few bonfires, no way we can afford Christmas lights.’
Which cities have cancelled their public firework displays this year?
Manchester
Council chiefs now say this year’s event, which was due to be held at the city’s Heaton Park, will not go ahead. The authority has blamed a ‘combination of factors’ for the decision to cancel the event, with one being ‘increased pressure’ on the authority’s budget.
Leeds
Leeds City Council has announced the cancellation of all six of its traditional firework displays, saying the decision had been taken due to the ‘significant budget pressures faced by the council’.
Hackney – London
Hackney council in London cited the rising cost of its Clissold Park event event, as well as concerns around air pollution, as the main reasoning behind its decision to scrap this year’s display.
Liverpool
Liverpool cancelled its beloved waterfront firework display earlier this month. The city council said it would not host the event, which regularly attracts 50,000 visitors, this year. However, its popular illuminated outdoor trail, River of Lights, will return to the city on October 21 where it will run until November 6. Other Bonfire Night firework displays will run at a variety of locations across Merseyside.
Cardiff
Cardiff’s Sparks in the Park show has also been cancelled after 40 years. Organisers of the volunteer-run event said it was too expensive to put on this year.
Dundee
All public firework displays at Dundee’s Baxter and Lochee parks have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. A study was carried out by the emergency services on the events and it revealed that the venues are no longer suitable for large gatherings, reported the local Courier earlier this year.
Others raised fears that it might spark people to make their own bonfires or set off fireworks in their gardens.
One person wrote: ‘My biggest issue here is how many uncontrolled bonfires that could be made because of this decision and the impact it will have on the emergency services.
‘Fire crews are always stretched to the limit around bonfire night.’
Earlier today Manchester City Council confirmed its decision to cancel this year’s event.
They say the decision is due to a ‘combination of factors’ including the escalating costs of delivering large Bonfire Night events.
That coupled with increased safety measures and ‘increased pressure on Council budgets’ has led to the decision, announced just three weeks before Bonfire Night celebrations are due to take place on November 5.
Council-run events have previously been held in eight parks including Heaton Park, Platt Fields Park, Cringle Park, Debdale Park and Wythenshawe Park.
The last time they were held was pre-Covid in 2019.
The full statement from the council released today said: ‘Manchester City Council has announced that council-organised bonfire events will not be reintroduced in Manchester Parks this year, following a two-year lay-off during the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘A combination of factors including the escalating costs of delivering large bonfire events, increasing safety and organisational measures needed and increased pressure on Council budgets have ultimately led to the decision.
‘The Council will assess the impact of this year’s events not going ahead as part of a review into the approach to future bonfire events.
‘The Council is reprioritising its neighbourhoods funding to focus on a program of community events and activities throughout the winter focusing on fun, free activities for families and young people.
‘Such events include October’s half-term school holiday activity programme, a fun packed week of sports activities, family events, outdoor adventures and cultural activity to keep youngsters and their families entertained and fulfilled during school holidays.’
Councillor Lee Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: ‘It is with great reluctance that we’re announcing that council-organised bonfire events will not be taking place this year.
Manchester is one of the only major cities that continues to host council-organised firework and bonfire events.
‘Bonfire events haven’t taken place in the city since 2019 and we have decided to hold that position this year.
‘This is not a decision we have taken lightly and I know that many people will be disappointed.
‘Nevertheless, due to a combination of factors such as rising costs, pressure on our budgets and, our ambition to be a net zero carbon city by 2038 we will not have Council-organised bonfire events this year.
‘The cost of delivering the event has escalated every year and to host large bonfire events we would have to plug the shortfall by diverting parks funding away from essential park services.
‘Our Neighbourhood teams have been working tirelessly to re-prioritise the budget on community events and supporting our residents through the cost-of-living crisis.
‘As usual, we will be working with partner agencies to help promote safety messages and prevent anti-social behaviour.’
It comes after Liverpool cancelled its beloved waterfront firework display earlier this month. The city’s council said it would not host the event, which regularly attracts 50,000 visitors, this year.
The popular illuminated outdoor trail, River of Lights, will return to the city on October 21 and will run until November 6.
Other Bonfire Night firework displays will run at a variety of locations across Merseyside, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Meanwhile, Hackney council in London cited the rising cost of its event, as well as concerns around air pollution, as the main reasoning behind its decision to scrap this year’s display.
According to the council, the annual display costs about £125,000 to run which is usually covered by ticket sales and catering.
However, last time the event only recouped around £72,000. The authority said it was concerned the event would also run at a loss this year with people cutting back due to the cost of living crisis.
Cardiff’s Sparks in the Park show has also been cancelled after 40 years. Organisers of the volunteer-run event said it was too expensive to put on this year.
Leeds City Council announced the cancellation of all six of its traditional firework displays, saying the decision had been taken due to the ‘significant budget pressures faced by the council’.
Dundee Council also announced it was cancelling its event for the ‘foreseeable future’.
The authority said a study was carried out by the emergency services on the events and it revealed that the venues are no longer suitable for large gatherings, the local Courier reported earlier this year.
What is the history of Bonfire Night and the history of the Guy?
Bonfire Night – formally known as Guy Fawkes Night – marks the failed gunpowder plot to blow up Parliament.
It takes its name from Guy Fawkes – the ringleader of the Catholic plot designed to assassinate the Protestant King James I and replace him with a Catholic.
The plot failed, the conspirators were discovered and they were all hanged, drawn and quartered.
Bonfire Night – formally known as Guy Fawkes Night – marks the failed gunpowder plot to blow up Parliament. It takes its name from Guy Fawkes – the ringleader of the Catholic plot (pictured: An engraved illustration of Guy Fawkes and his accomplices) designed to assassinate the Protestant King James I and replace him with a Catholic
Londoners celebrated James I surviving the murder attempt by lighting bonfires around the city, and within months Guy Fawkes Night was established.
It has been celebrated each year ever since, with communities marking it with fireworks and lighting bonfires which they burn a Guy on.
Many local societies now pick public figures to be celebrity guys which they burn on giant fires.
Politicians are often selected for the dubious honour.
Donald Trump, Cherie Blair and Nigel Farage have all been burnt at public Bonfire ceremonies in recent years.
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