Bonfire Night will be a damp squib after celebrations were axed because to the cost-of-living crisis.
A string of firework shows around the country have been cancelled, with council organisers blaming rising prices and even air pollution.
Celebrations have so far been shelved in London, Dundee, Cardiff and Liverpool.
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Councils in other cities have yet to confirm if their annual events will go ahead.
In Hackney, east London, the local council blamed rising costs and air quality fears for its decision to cancel.
It said the annual display costs about £125,000 to run, and that last time only £72,000 was recouped in ticket sales and cash from catering.
The council also claimed the event was bad for the environment, and said fireworks emit “light, heat and sound energy along with carbon dioxide and other gases and residues”.
(Image: PA)
It said there was often “a noticeable increase in pollution from particulates and dioxins” around Bonfire Night. Dundee City Council recently voted to cancel its fireworks displays. And in Cardiff the annual Sparks in the Park show will not go ahead “for the foreseeable future” because of the “escalating cost and organisational burden” of running the largest fireworks display in Wales.
The event’s organisers, Cardiff Round Table, said: “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.”
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Liverpool and Lewisham councils have said they will also be cancelling their fireworks events this year after originally putting them on hold during the pandemic.
The Local Government Association said: “Decisions to cancel any events are taken by individual councils based on their unique local circumstances.”
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