Fireworks

[Angelina]

That said, organised displays could be on Saturday before and after and the actual day, and private ones could just not have the loud ones. 
It’s all down to accessibility and people caring/not caring

[personannrose]

This petition to reduce the noise of fireworks is currently going through Parliament

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/738192

Edited November 3 by personannrose

[CPR Dave]

The lower / no bang noise fireworks sound great. 

 

Is there anywhere local selling those?

[HeadNun]

3 minutes ago, personannrose said:

This petition to reduce the noise of fireworks is currently going through Parliament

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/738192

Would this not be a complaint better aimed at the council? Isn't it an anti social behaviour issue? 

I think of myself as pretty live-and-let-live and feel like a miserable cow for saying this, but I do think I might complain. Personally I love the sound of fireworks but our dog is under the table, shaking like a leaf night after night and collapses in the street when he hears the noise.  I'm worried his heart'll give out.

[first mate]

I don't think you are miserable; the fireworks 'thing' seems to be growing. It used to be that you knew when they would likely happen and they were relatively rare, two or three times a year, for just one evening each time. Now, not only do there seem to be more and more large organised events, with extremely loud fireworks, even making Halloween a must do fireworks date- but people just seem to randomly let off four or five really loud ones at odd times of the night, for around 6 months of the year.

Given the environmental impact, I'd have thought the council might want to encourage use of low noise fireworks at large events.

I really, really hope something can be done.

[SophieA]

On 03/11/2025 at 18:46, HeadNun said:

Would this not be a complaint better aimed at the council? Isn't it an anti social behaviour issue? 

I think of myself as pretty live-and-let-live and feel like a miserable cow for saying this, but I do think I might complain. Personally I love the sound of fireworks but our dog is under the table, shaking like a leaf night after night and collapses in the street when he hears the noise.  I'm worried his heart'll give out.

Not miserable at all! I feel the same and also want to complain to the council but not sure who or where best to aim it at? I have flagged it with our local MP and one Southwark councillor previously but only verbally when discussing other things and didn’t get anywhere other than them agreeing it was very frustrating etc. but would love to do something on paper. I think they’ve been pretty much every night for the last couple of weeks and my cat is hating it! As am I !

[HeadNun]

I got in a right tizz last night, thinking 'this fireworks business is worse than ever tonight, it's outrageous!' ....then realised what date it was...

We gave Kalms to the mutt, thanks to Angelina's advice. It's hard to tell after just one night if they work, but I'll definitely try them again, as I'm sure a few people still have a few bangers left over. 

Did anyone see the coverage of the scenes in Liverpool and Birmingham? I wonder if this might lead councils to finally clamp down on sales. 

[Sue]

5 hours ago, HeadNun said:

Did anyone see the coverage of the scenes in Liverpool and Birmingham? I wonder if this might lead councils to finally clamp down on sales. 

No. What happened?

I actually thought, considering it was what we used to call Guy Fawkes Day last night, the loud noises from  fireworks ended remarkably early. About 9pm?

Maybe I just fell asleep and didn't hear any later ones.

Do people actually burn Guys any more? Apart from at places like Lewes, where I believe they still have Bonfire Societies and burn effigies of various political figures etc.

[Earl Aelfheah]

There is a great fireworks event every year in Battle. A bit like the Lewes one, but slightly smaller / more manageable. 

13 hours ago, Sue said:

Maybe I just fell asleep and didn't hear any later ones.

It’s not just you. Definitely seems to be a bit more subdued this year locally 

[first mate]

Probably because the 5th was a weekday. We still have the weekend to come. Also, some fireworks going off nearly every night for the last few months. Last night something was being let off that made a very deep booming noise every 10 seconds or so.

That said, if the general public are beginning to see the harm done by firework noise and choosing to use low noise options and refusing to support organised events that still use the full throttle type, I for one would be very happy.

Does anyone know if the Herne Hill Velodrome Halloween fireworks event used low noise options?

Edited Friday at 08:50 by first mate

[Sue]

33 minutes ago, first mate said:

Probably because the 5th was a weekday. 

I did think that might be the reason, but five years out of seven it's going to be a weekday (I think. Not sure how leap years might affect things!)

[first mate]

I am keeping my fingers crossed the next few days are not so loud. I honestly think it is the private, back garden displays that are most problematic as, in general, there is no way of knowing when and where they might happen. For those letting off a few bangers in the garden I get it is tempting to think what's the harm in a few minutes of 'fun', but it is the absolute randomness of sudden bangs that can do irreparable damage to people and animals.

With organised events that are well advertised there is some forewarning at least, and the hope is that organisers of such events can be persuaded to adopt and make a virtue of using only low noise displays in future.

[Sue]

13 hours ago, first mate said:

I am keeping my fingers crossed the next few days are not so loud. I honestly think it is the private, back garden displays that are most problematic as, in general, there is no way of knowing when and where they might happen. For those letting off a few bangers in the garden I get it is tempting to think what's the harm in a few minutes of 'fun', but it is the absolute randomness of sudden bangs that can do irreparable damage to people and animals.

With organised events that are well advertised there is some forewarning at least, and the hope is that organisers of such events can be persuaded to adopt and make a virtue of using only low noise displays in future.

I think the only way to sort this is to ban loud fireworks for private sale (and preferably ban fireworks altogether except for public displays).

I don't know whether that has implications I'm not aware of eg I have no idea how many people are involved in firework manufacture.

[Penguin68]

2 hours ago, Sue said:

I don't know whether that has implications I'm not aware of eg I have no idea how many people are involved in firework manufacture

I think you'll find that there are more than just 'quite a lot' involved with firework enjoyment. I'm not one of those, but I do not begrudge the enjoyment of others. 

[Sue]

4 hours ago, Penguin68 said:

I think you'll find that there are more than just 'quite a lot' involved with firework enjoyment. I'm not one of those, but I do not begrudge the enjoyment of others. 

Not sure what you mean by "involved with firework enjoyment"?

I'm all for others enjoying themselves, and I like fireworks, but if they were limited to public displays then people could still enjoy them?

Having said that, I see that tickets for the London New Year fireworks start at £20 (Dawson's Heights it is,  then!)

The fireworks in Brockwell Park used to be free. I don't know why those don't happen any more?

[Penguin68]

42 minutes ago, Sue said:

The fireworks in Brockwell Park used to be free. I don't know why those don't happen any more?

Sadly, but not unreasonably, councils find it difficult to justify such expenditure on their current budgets. My family, which does like fireworks have been enjoying the displays by those still with disposable wealth by viewing them from Hilly Fields. Other hills (Dawson Heights) are available. For children who have autumn and winter birthdays, a firework display is some consolation for their birthday climate. My grandchildren, being summer babies, can enjoy garden parties and picnics. Without the need for explosions and dazzling display. 

[Sue]

4 hours ago, Penguin68 said:

Sadly, but not unreasonably, councils find it difficult to justify such expenditure on their current budgets. 

I'd have thought they could use some of  their income from hiring out a large part of Brockwell Park in the summer (therefore, as I understand it, preventing local residents from using much of it) to put on a firework display there  in the autumn which might somewhat make up to those residents for the previous loss of use of the park.

And also generate goodwill.

[SophieA]

12 hours ago, Sue said:

I think the only way to sort this is to ban loud fireworks for private sale (and preferably ban fireworks altogether except for public displays).

I don't know whether that has implications I'm not aware of eg I have no idea how many people are involved in firework manufacture.

There’s a couple of Gov petitions going on in relation to fireworks at the moment but this one is for banning them entirely except organised displays if anyone wants to sign. This is the only sensible way forward in my view. No one should be able to let them off in gardens or anywhere like that, it’s crazy. I am surprised some of you have said it hasn’t been as bad this year. I live near DKH Saino and it’s been absolutely terrible my way for days. This petition gained about 20,000 just in the last day or so so clearly the appetite is there! https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732559

[Sue]

42 minutes ago, SophieA said:

There’s a couple of Gov petitions going on in relation to fireworks at the moment but this one is for banning them entirely except organised displays if anyone wants to sign. This is the only sensible way forward in my view. No one should be able to let them off in gardens or anywhere like that, it’s crazy. I am surprised some of you have said it hasn’t been as bad this year. I live near DKH Saino and it’s been absolutely terrible my way for days. This petition gained about 20,000 just in the last day or so so clearly the appetite is there! https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732559

Signed, and I will share it elsewhere, thank you for posting this.

It's got nearly 70,000 signatures at present, and apparently runs till February.

Edited 21 hours ago by Sue
Adding info

[Azalea]

I have signed that petition.  Someone was letting off loud fireworks at about 3 am this morning. They woke me up.   I don’t know where they were exactly but it sounded like they were in the vicinity of Dog Kennel Hill.    

[kbabes]

I heard them & our two dogs were extremely upset by it..  bad enough during the evenings but at least can have music on to dilute the noise!   Some people have literally zero thoughts for others!! 

[first mate]

14 minutes ago, Azalea said:

I have signed that petition.  Someone was letting off loud fireworks at about 3 am this morning. They woke me up.   I don’t know where they were exactly but it sounded like they were in the vicinity of Dog Kennel Hill.    

Same here. Incredibly selfish behaviour. Also illegal.

[SophieA]

8 hours ago, Azalea said:

I have signed that petition.  Someone was letting off loud fireworks at about 3 am this morning. They woke me up.   I don’t know where they were exactly but it sounded like they were in the vicinity of Dog Kennel Hill.    

It was indeed in the vicinity of DKH. I live on the ED estate and I could tell it must be close by because of the noise. When I left my house this morning I found the culprits litter still in the middle of the st. It looked like they had lit a whole box on fire in the middle of the road. My cat jumped out of her skin. I’ll try and report it on Southwark website same as I have had to with other illegal use this week. Any other ideas for what we can do with the photos? Maybe one of the Southwark councillors. It’s outrageous and dangerous behaviour.