To not want a NYE fireworks display outside my front door?

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

ARRRGGHH!!

Am fuming. DH took the dog out for a walk this morning and happening to notice a poster up advertising a big fireworks display to take place on our street on New Year's Eve, and inviting the whole town.

He went on the Community Association website and discovered that it was accurate, and there is a plan for a big event on our road and everyone is invited to bring their NYE parties along for the fireworks.

For background, we live on one of the mainish roads in our small town/large village. The road is about 3/4 residential, with 5 or 6 commercial properties as well, a chemist, hairdresser, etc. It's next to the river, hence the choice. However there is a big field elsewhere in the village that can be and is usually used for this type of event.

Because our house is right opposite the river, the event will be literally outside our door, with hundreds of people, mostly drunk probably, and extremely loud fireworks. We have two small children and a puppy.

At no point have residents been consulted about this at all, and we only found out about it by accident this morning, otherwise we would have been non the wiser.

AIBU to be absolutely fuming?

DH has rung the Community Association this morning and been completely and unapologetically fobbed off.

[NUFC69]

I only saw this thread earlier and tbh I didn't think you were being unreasonable at all for not wanting this to go ahead. I love fireworks but wouldn't have wanted this outside my front door. I am so glad that it wasn't too stressful for you. It might be an idea to approach the Community Association again with any concerns you have/had so that they can be ironed out before they do this to you again.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

- glad it went ok and no one was hurt!

[Startail]

Happy New Year, glad it wasn't to bad.

I was probably uncharitable up thread as I absolutely love fireworks.

However, I do hope someone comes and sweeps up the rubbish for you.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Road is now done so someone must have been at some point today, so that's good.

[HecatePropolos]

When are they coming to clear up the road? Have they said?

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Ooh hello all.

Well, it went ahead.

We ummed and ahhed, but didn't want to get all heavy handed with Environmental health, and other suggestions.

We compromised on a further email to the CA, thanking for their belated and rushed and only conducted because we asked for it risk assessment, highlighting a few additional concerns, expressing disappointment at the lack of consultation and a hope that in future we will have the opportunity to be involved in events planned for our street.

All we got back was a very constructive "noted"

Their attitude throughout has been the main problem, but we didn't want to spoil anyone's fun because of that, so we let it go.

In the end one DS woke but went straight back to sleep, the other stayed asleep. Dog was absolutely fine.

Road is a mess this morning and several cars parked on the road were being leaned on/having drink spilled over them, don't know whose cars they were.

About 300 people came.

Swans were petrified and shot to the other side of the river, but seem unscathed this morning.

Music was loud but finished about 12.20

Fireworks were actually rather lovely. We didn't set up shop and profit from it, but instead had a nice bath and watched in our pyjamas with champagne from the upstairs window.

So all in all a pretty good result. Our name is no doubt mud with the CA but at least I expect they'll consult us in future.

Thanks all for comments, suggestions and opinions, constructive, supportive and dissenting, polite and otherwise!

Happy New Year to you all.

[AuntieMaggie]

I want to know what happened to the swans...

[Fakebook]

Did you kill the fun then OP? .

[ChaoticforlifenotjustChristmas]

I'd forgot about this.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Yy marking my place too for update

[Bilbobagginstummy]

So... What happened? Are you all alive? Did you make a killing flogging food?

Nosey person wants to know!

[MrsMuddyPuddles]

Hope we don't hear about this in the news in a couple weeks time... sounds like lots of dodgy "I wanna do what I wanna do, common sense be damned" attitude from the community group.

BTW- no matter who alerts "the autorities", now that your DH has expressed concerns, you WILL get the blame for "ruining the party with this nimby stuff and elf and safety gone mad and etc"

So you may as well call the EHO, the local wildlife people, the fire dept, etc and see that it's safe or cancelled or moved to a sensible location

[CaroleService]

Agreed YANBU. I help organise a Fireworks event and we fill up lots of paper - for a good reason.

[TidyDancer]

Bloody hell, I can't believe this would ever seem like a good idea!

I'm not really a fan of fireworks anyway tbh, but I would certainly not like something like this literally right on my doorstep!

You've had some very odd replies OP, but YAdefinitelyNBU.

[PseudoBadger]

Yep, we are a responsible authority for TENs now, and I'd object to this event.

[TheMysteryCat]

Pseudo,

They could but the police will be pissed off and they have no event plan or land permissions, or road closure agreements. Would be weak application and easy to refuse on grounds of safety and public order. Doubt the organisers will even know or bother.

[KarlosKKrinkelbeim]

well I don't blame you at all OP - I hate fireworks, my DS has ASD and is terrified of the stupid things. The fact that Bonfire Night now seems to stretch over about 10 days means I spent an awful lot of time this year comforting a shuddering little boy who was terrified either of the bangs or of the possibility that they might start again. Anyone who threateneed a big display outside my house would be given pretty short shrift, I'm afraid.

[Eve]

Reading this and thinking of the people who put on the bonfire last year near the m5, it was a bonfire, how simple could it be, what could go wrong?

[PseudoBadger]

They can do a late TEN with 5 working days to go TheMysteryCat

[PseudoBadger]

Part of my role (I'm an EHO) involves safety at events for a large inner city borough (clue in my link below). The document linked too has far too much specific detail to my area to be useful, however there is detail about event management plans/risk assessments/licensing etc. I can try and answer any questions you have, however do consider contacting your local EHOs, they should be interested.
ignore if too detailed

[TheMysteryCat]

Flowery,

Btw, they can't host this event legally now because you need 30 days notice minimum for a premises licence and 10 working days for a temporary event notice. They are out of time for both.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Oh, and I think sugarpastesnowflake definitely deserves a round of applause!

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

I'm normally just "flowery" quoteunquote this is my Christmas name, inspired by the musical efforts of Kirsty McColl and the Pogues.

Need to think about the options and thanks for some really helpful information and suggestions. I'm now far more worried about swans and safety issues than I am about noise for us (I'm a big softy for our swans!) and I need to discuss with DH what our options are and how we proceed.

[AuntieMaggie]

What sugarpastesnowflake said - the person who did that display was done for manslaughter wasn't he?

Agree with contacting the environment agency etc about wildlife/river/etc.