Organisers of public Bonfire Night events across the UK are finding it increasingly challenging to stage displays due to rising costs and new legislative requirements. Truro in Cornwall has cancelled its annual fireworks display for the second year in a row, with the town council citing an inability to hold the event safely within the available budget.
David Rodda, town clerk at Truro City Council, stated that the event had grown significantly, from 1,000 attendees to 4,000 in 2024, leading to increased safety costs. He explained that the council could not stage an event if it could not be done safely, and the income generated was insufficient to cover the additional expenses.
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, also known as Martyn's Law, is among the new elements event organisers must consider. This law requires certain public premises and events to be prepared for a terror attack. Mr Rodda noted that Truro's display would have fallen into the enhanced tier under this law, incurring thousands of pounds in additional costs for items such as road closures, letter drops, extra toilets, and lighting.
Similar issues have been raised in Northamptonshire regarding a free fireworks display in Corby. Meanwhile, the Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels event in Devon has implemented measures like hostile vehicle mitigation and counter-terrorist training for staff, with event director Ashley Franks acknowledging that running the event gets harder each year due to legislative changes and spiralling costs.
A 12-week public consultation on the sale of fireworks is set to conclude on 8 October. This review could result in the loudest fireworks being limited to organised displays and a ban on more pyrotechnic products.