Bonfire night: Major cities in UK cancel firework displays

Big firework displays which are run by local councils have been cancelled in some parts of the UK.

Councils in Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Hackney have said their bonfire nights will not be going ahead this year, with most of them blaming rising costs and budget pressures.

In Cardiff, a firework event organised by a local community group has been cancelled after 40 years.

Many firework displays couldn't happen during the coronavirus pandemic, so this would have been the first time since 2019 that some of these events would have taken place.

Which council run firework displays have been cancelled?

Leeds city council said it has cancelled its bonfire and firework events because of "significant budget pressures".

It says that the cost of living crisis is putting pressure on local people "which are having a significant impact on the council's demand for services and support".

Manchester council had similar reasons about rising costs and smaller budgets.

The council said it is going to reprioritise the funding that would have been spent on the bonfires, to provide fun, free events and activities during the winter.

Hackney council said it's not a permanent decision to cancel the event in Clissold Park, but it has to "weigh up our priorities as our finances continue to come under pressure from rising inflation and costs".

Councillor Caroline Woodley, from Hackney council, added: "We must also consider the wider environmental and air quality implications of the fireworks."

Focus on other 'festive traditions'

In Glasgow, the firework display at Glasgow Green won't take place this year. Glasgow Life, which runs the event, is a charity that works on behalf of Glasgow City Council.

A spokesperson for Glasgow Life said: "There is plenty to see and do in Glasgow all year round, especially in the weeks leading up to Christmas. We're focused on bringing back the Christmas lights switch-on and restoring one of the city's favourite festive traditions..."

Bursts of colour at a previous firework display at Glasgow Green

Cardiff council doesn't run a bonfire event, but community group Cardiff Round Table has hosted one called Sparks in the Park for the past 40 years.

The group announced in September that the event will be cancelled for the foreseeable future. The group said as a "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."

'Extra cost pressures'

Newsround spoke to the Local Government Association (LGA) and Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the LGA culture, tourism and sport board, said: "Councils know how important it is for communities to have opportunities to come together and share experiences, meet friends and family and have fun together, and will do what they can to ensure they continue.

"However, councils are facing at least £2.4 billion in extra cost pressures this year as a result of inflation, energy costs and projected increases to the National Living Wage....

"Councils' circumstances will differ, therefore it will be up to the individual council to decide what events should go ahead and to what extent."

Although these events have been called off, it doesn't mean there aren't fireworks displays happening near you. Many private groups such as local community centres, scouts groups and rugby clubs may have displays happening.

We want you to get in touch, do you know if you firework and bonfire event has been cancelled near you? What are your plans for Bonfire Night? Let us know in the comments below.