New Year fireworks

[SESthebrave]

AIBU to think that in these times of austerity, the fireworks in London were a bit much?
I know we want to show London off to the rest of the world but I'm sure we could have saved a few million and only had fireworks for 5 mins instead of 10mins?

I know, I'm a killjoy aren't I?

[HipHopOpotomus]

It was brilliant and the BBC TV coverage was amazing. Certainly made my NY memorable and I'm sure many others too.

The BBC budget must have contributed?

[katiecubs]

They were bloody fantastic!

£52k though?! No way - at least a million IMO

[Montybojangles]

Bah humbug!
I thought they were great.

[KarlosKKrinkelbeim]

Fireworks bore me and scare the crap out of DS so a tenner would be too much for me, but I appreciate I am probably not representative.

[DowntonSprouts]

pumpkin I disagree about the fireworks but totally agree about the champagne!

Maybe it's because I'd had so much of it by midnight that I thought the fireworks were so good?

[LadyBeagleEyes]

I watched the Edinburgh ones on the TV last night, they were brilliant.
Edinburgh has three days of events for NY and it attracts loads of tourists, when I used to go to the street party, everybody was a visitor.
I'm sure it makes a profit.

[pumpkinsweetieMasPudding]

I would say it was a waste of money based on my hatred of white fireworks-They are just boring, whereas Dubai had a lovely aray of colours and much more effort with placement.

Ours, lets face it, big but boring and unispired, all over the place and colourless....and yes at times like this money could be better spent on other things!

Needless, wasteless and makes me sick to see so much money go down the drain in such a short amount of time. Not to mention the poor animals that suffer because of the bloody things.

Champagne on the other hand, is definetly not a waste of money, especially the cheaper stuff

[OhyouMerryLittleKitten]

I think it was cos some people seemed to be dancing.

[Nancy66]

I want to know if the soundtrack was actually played at the scene or if it was just on the TV broadcast.

this is troubling me.

[OhyouMerryLittleKitten]

I thought they were brilliant and a good toast to what was after all an absolutely fantastic summer. As others have said it sends out a message to the rest of the world of 'don't give up on the UK!'
You know, it's good to celebrate being British sometimes.

[AmberLeaf]

Bread and circuses.

[DowntonSprouts]

I thought those fireworks were fantastic. The music was brilliant and the sound bytes from seb Coe etc were inspired. Loved the "mind the gap" bit when it all stopped then started again.

It was the final flourish to a magnificent year for London and the UK. I think we've showed the whole world a series of events that no where else can match. Never mind the Sydney Opera house, the setting last night is the most iconic location anywhere. It said we're British, we're proud and we know how to throw a party.

All this talk or austerity- do you think the right message to send out to the world is we're skint as a nation, heavily in debt and the Olympics have cost a bomb so we're just having a few bangers and a damp squid? They didn't put that display on for the thousands lining the Thames, they put it on to say to the world"come to London, the Olympics might be over but it's still cool, it's still happening and London is the place to visit! "

So whether it cost £50 k or £1m, you couldn't buy worldwide advertising and that sort of positive publicity for that.

[AmberLeaf]

Agent, no I dont think there was as much 'fuss' pre 2000.

No way were they only £52k though! I think my local authorities 5th nov display costs something in the region of £250k! and that is piddly in comparison.

Ali I like your twitter friends comment!

Visitors will bring in revenue but that goes to businesses not back into the pot that paid for the fireworks.

I think it is obscene austerity my arse!

[SESthebrave]

Good point that it may pay for itself with all the extra visitors. I still think they could have got away with half the fireworks and we'd still have been impressed though!

I was there in Parliment Square myself to see in the year 2000 and tbh it was the crowd and atmosphere that made the 8hrs we spent there special rather than the 15/20mins of fireworks.

Hope everyone has renjoyed celebrating in their own way though - Happy New Year!

[Mrsrudolphduvall]

I hate fireworks when they are in someone's garden or go off at random times during the year.

However the London ones were fantastic lat night..we watched them on tv as the thought of being in those crowds frightens me to death.
Dh called from Sydney last night saying how amazing the fireworks there had been.

Well ours were better....so there.

[DomesticCEO]

Way way way more than 52k!!!

They were awesome though!

[DontmindifIdo]

Apparently the year that Ken Livingston was trying to get us the Olympics, they spent £1m on fireworks, so I would assume the budget is about the same. Thing is for those who haven't/don't live in London don't see if the sheer numbers of people who flood in from Home Counties to watch the fireworks - the trains are heaving with people (I know South East trains just open the barriers so effectively it's free to travel in), many will go in the pubs around there, buy from stalls along the riverbank, pop in the shops to buy more booze stock up on supplies, go for dinner first etc. it probably pays for itself. The budget comes out of hte London assembly money, so council tax, sometimes companies sponsor it. I know they have companies sponsor the free tube travel on NYE, although didn't see if it was being done this year.

[Joiningthegang]

We LOVED them - and the soundtrack - brilliant

[onyx72]

Bah, humbug! YABU
I love fireworks.

[CaptChaos]

They were fab. Anything to spread a little cheer and round off what has been a fairly amazing year for London is good.

Perhaps you'd feel better if a couple of ragged kids had had sparklers instead?

[Tanith]

I was 13 the first time I stayed up for New Year. My mum and I opened the window and listened to the bell ringers at the Parish church chime in the New Year, then we went to bed. I remember thinking "Is that it?!!"

These days, they know how to celebrate! My SIL was at the London celebrations in 2000 and says it was fantastic :)

[Startail]

YABU

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

I loved them!

There was almost the same identical thread last year - was that you too OP??

[Beaverfeaver]

There is also no way they cost as little as £52k

It was more fireworks than try used in te Olympic ceremonies!