To think that the money that was spent of fireworks

[MamaMaiasaura]

Could have been put to better use?

I feel that way about the Olympics.

Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate. Those fireworks bring in untold numbers of visitors who spend money.

It says here that most of the costs were due to organising security]]

But £313k for 7 1/2 mins of fireworks - wow. That is a lot.

I hate to think what the Olympics fireworks are going to cost, bound to be a lot more than £313K.

Agree mama they were lovely but TBH after the first 5 mins I felt uncomfortable at the excess, that was at least 2 million squid that went off there, that could have gone to many good causes around London.

However they wanted to show off I guess to launch the start of Olympic year...

:) @ Dustinthewind.

Me too!

Is anyone but me a little bit worried that we are hosting the Olympics and it may be a disaster?

Does a minute of fireworks really cost £35k?

"The £313,000 display was cut by two minutes this year, helping organisers save a total of £70,000"

I posted this last night and got told off for being a moany Minnie

I don't like them - that money would make a real difference if spent somewhere else.

No way was that only £313k .

I help organise our modest village fireworks every year & last one we spent the most ever & that was £1k for a smidge of what there was last night.

The manpower alone to place & co-ordinate a show like that woould be eye-watering.

Also it was far longer than 7.5 mins it started at midnight & we checked the clcok at 00.10 as I was so at how long it was!!

clock

If they didn't have them, far fewer people would travel into London which would generate far less revenue. The money they spend pales in comparison to the money they generate.

And besides, life is for living. People should celebrate every now and again.

That link was 2 year's ago. This is this year's, though that covers more than just fireworks.
www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/greater-london-authority/directors-decisions/dd582

I agree - stupid waste of money, ditto the stupid Olympics.

www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/greater-london-authority/directors-decisions/dd582

If Sydney's fireworks cost 4M I struggle to believe ours cost 'only' 313K

This year was at least £1.9M (see link) plus whatever sponsorship they got. So not £313k.

Well, it's a good job that they were supplied by a U.K. firework company (kimbolton fireworks) who employ lots of people, who possibly rely on such a huge contract every year. Plus as others have said, you also get the revenue from the tourists. So it is swings and roundabouts really.

Oh boohoo! Fireworks are great. Yes, there are more worthy causes, but NYE is only once a year!

Oh, sorry. Didn't check the date of the link.

FontSnob
Good point, that the company has earned money.

Still £1.9m ?? I thought that £313k sounded like a lot.

Our modest display only cost ?15 :)

I don't think you need fireworks to get people to go out. Most German cities don't, everyone buys their own fireworks and goes outside to put them off.

No way was that display only 300k! It went on forever!

Pretty but over the top and made me quite uncomfortable actually, which surprised me as I don't normally have a social conscience at all! It could definitely be put to better use.

I'm not against them having the display, they were lovely, and i agree it's nice to celebrate something at such a gloomy time. I do also appreciate the amount of visitors they bring in & therefore the revenue created.

I love fireworks, but the scale & length of the display, was OTT in my humble.

But 'tis over now!

This plus the extra 41 million they're putting into the Olympic opening ceremony. This country is becoming a bit fur coat and no knickers.

We loved watching it, it's part of our NYE routine, but it did go on a bit long, and muso daughters commented on the mish-mash backing music, jumping from one track to another. Still, if it's an attempt to raise London and the UK's profile, it was pretty good - the only display I saw on Sky News to touch it was Sydney's. Haven't looked for anything from the US yet though.

Growlithe
I used that expression yesterday when talking about the Olympics.

It is daft to spend £41k on the opening ceremony at the same time as cutting sports programmes for children.

I want to know how much revenue was created, really. London was always full at NYE and the fireworks are a recent addition.