UK cities cancel bonfire night firework displays over cost-of-living crisis

Cities across the UK have cancelled bonfire night displays due to budget pressures amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Norwich, Dundee and Nottingham are among the cities that have cancelled events.

On Tuesday, Nottingham City Council said they had “reluctantly” taken the decision due to the increased costs caused by the crisis.

They said that this was due to facing “huge budget difficulties which have been exacerbated by rising inflation, energy costs and other pressures”.

Last week Manchester City Council blamed the rising cost of delivering the displays, safety measures and the local authority’s goal to become a net zero carbon city by 2038 for their decision to cancel firework displays in the city’s parks.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly and I know that many people will be disappointed,” Councillor Lee Ann Igbon, executive member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said in a statement.

“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.”

Liverpool City Council also cited the cost of living in its decision to cancel its waterfront firework display.

The event, last held in 2019 due to the pandemic, usually attracted crowds of up to 50,000 people.

Meanwhile, in London, Hackney Council said it was cancelling its fireworks display in Clissold Park over “rising inflation and cost pressures”.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be hosting a bonfire night fireworks display in Clissold Park this year as our finances continue to be hit by rising inflation and cost pressures,” the council said in a statement on Twitter.