Bonfire Night cancelled in dozens of towns across the UK – are you affected?

MAJOR UK cities have been forced to cancel Bonfire Night festivities this year due to the cost of living crisis.

Manchester, Leeds, Hackney in London, Cardiff and Glasgow are just some of the areas axing firework displays due to financial strains.

The latest display to be cancelled is the Hammersmith and Fulham annual fireworks with the council advising people to celebrate at home instead.

This comes as Cornwall's 48-year-running Penzance bonfire night was yesterday cancelled for good.

Organisers released a statement which read: "We love fireworks, but we love animals and the environment more.  

"We’ve taken the view that an alternative form of contemporary display is now more appropriate."

Manchester City Council announced that "escalating costs" were partly to blame for its decision to call off the event, which usually attracts over 100,000 people.

A council spokesperson gave locals the bad news today that their event would not be going ahead following a two-year lay-off.

They said: "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 focussing on fun, free activities for families and young people."

It comes as cash-strapped councils in Leeds, Hackney and Cardiff also put the dampeners on firework displays which commemorate the failure of Guy Fawkes' gunpowder plot in 1605.

And it will be the third successive year that Glasgow's popular spectacle has not happened after Covid restrictions saw the event cancelled in 2020 and 2021.

Others authorities have also warned that they will need support to push on with their events as potential budget cuts loom.

And some Guy Fawkes celebrations may never return, local organisers.

Manchester City Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon said: "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."

Elsewhere, Hackney Council in London announced a need to "weigh up their priorities" following a recent hit on finances.

And it also said the decision had aligned with environmental concerns about air quality and pollution from the fireworks.

Councillor Caroline Woodley said: "While we're sorry not to be hosting a fireworks display in Clissold Park this year, we have to weigh up our priorities as our finances continue to come under pressure from rising inflation and costs."

Arnos Grove, Blackheath and Southwark councils in London, have also put a stop to their community firework displays this year.

Cardiff's event - which has run for more than 40 years - has been cancelled "for the foreseeable future" because organisers can't keep up with the spiralling costs.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the annual Sparks in the Park event said: "Unfortunately, over the past few years we have faced escalating costs and organisational burdens, the same as so many of us have been feeling.

"As a purely volunteer-driven event, where all profits raised are donated to local charities and good causes, it is no longer feasible for us to put on an event of this scale."

PUTTING THE FIRE OUT

Likewise, Leeds City Council announced that constraints on its constituents' budgets were increasing demand for services and support.

Electricity, gas, and fuel costs have also drastically increased for the council and they expected restarting the bonfires this year would cost well over £200,000.

Normally the council funds licensed contractors to run free bonfires and fireworks events, including one at Roundhay Park that attracts thousands of people each year.

Leeds City Councillor Salma Arif said rising costs mean they must cut all spending that is not essential.

She said: "It is obviously very disappointing for residents that bonfire and firework events cannot restart this year.

"However the council must work hard on cutting all non-essential spend in the current financial climate.

"We certainly did not take this decision lightly, and we know that this news will come as a real disappointment to many people, and this disappointment is something that we share."

Seaford's popular bonfire night organisers have also been forced to begin crowdfunding for their free bonfire night because costs have almost doubled over four years.

The East Sussex event normally brings in 10,000 people each year.

A Yorkshire village has also cancelled its bonfire night festivities.

The organisers of the Tockwith Show have prioritised their strapped budget for their annual show instead.

Leverhulme Park's popular fireworks display in Bolton has similarly put their event on hold after previously taking two years off due to the pandemic.

Councillors in Dundee have also been forced to re-distribute its £50,000 bonfire night budget to its annual winter events programme.

However, not every council is scrapping Bonfire Night - celebrations in Lewes are still going ahead.

Last year saw between 25,000 and 30,000 people visit the massive fireworks event.

Although the capital of Wales has cancelled their festivities, free attractions in Swansea and Barry Island have not been axed.

And in London, Wimbledon Park, Alexandra Palace, Morden Park, Chiswick Park, Battersea Park, Beckenham, and Barnes Sports Club are all still due to host their bonfire nights.

Birmingham's biggest bonfire night fireworks are also going ahead, opening at 5.30pm and the display due to begin at 7.45pm.

West Midlands events are will also commence at Alton Towers, Grange Park in Solihull, Himley Hall and Wolverhampton.

Bradford City Centre will be holding a free firework display on November 12 while ticketed shows are still scheduled in Sheffield, Doncaster.