Neighbours having massive firework display

[Cole24]

AIBU to think that my neighbours should have at least given us a heads up that they were putting on a massive firework display?

We live in a small village with one housing estate which is quite densely populated, but it's a very quiet area. We recently had new neighbours move into the house next door (it's a semi-detached property) and we haven't seen or spoken to them yet.

Tonight they are having a very long and noisy firework display, it's been going on for at least 45 minutes and it's been constant the entire time. As I mentioned the property is semi-detached and the gardens are very small, it doesn't seem safe to have a firework display so close to the house, as a result it's very close to our house too.

We have a 5 month old baby who's been woken by them and a young cat who's absolutely terrified. Our area is very much a pet friendly place with most of the neighbours owning cats or dogs and so fireworks aren't popular around here.

Since they're right next door in such close quarters, with the fireworks being unreasonably close to our house, AIBU to think that they could have let us know by knocking the door or dropping a note in?

If you read this far then thank you!

I have never used fireworks myself but if I was going to, it wouldn’t even cross my mind to inform my neighbours. Surely it’s to be expected on bonfire night?

YANBU. A 45-min display is a different kettle of fish to a few bangers and some sparklers.

Yes, I think a heads-up before any noisy event is polite.

It would have been good manners to let you know given they will be aware I am sure that you have a pet.

YADNBU. You have a five month old baby and your NDNs didn’t have the courtesy to let you know? I’d be absolutely fuming OP.

Google suggests garden fireworks should be at least 8 metres away from spectators. Are they adhering to this?

Sorry they’ve ruined the evening for you.

You’re NBU but you’ll get a shit-ton if comments saying you are, because people who like to do this really don’t care about the impact on others. I’m in exactly the same boat right now (minus baby) and it’s doing my head in!

I'd also be extremely PO'd if any of the firework debris ended up in our garden or showering our house/car, so keep an eye out for that!

I think YABU to think they should let you know, it’s bonfire night and is to be expected.
I think YANBU to think the garden (by your description) is entirely inappropriate for letting off fireworks

My daughter and dog are terrified so I sympathise hugely.....but I’ve never known anyone warn neighbours about fireworks I don’t think?

If they were doing this any other night of the year, I'd say YANBU, but it's bonfire night! It would be reasonable to assume that you would hear some fireworks tonight. What difference would letting you know in advance have made anyway?

Any night other than this I'd probably expect a heads up. With them being new neighbours I imagine they've misjudged how out of place their 45 minute extravaganza is in their new village.

I'm not a fan of home fireworks displays, FWIW, so I get your irritation.

Anyone with an ounce of manners would let you know. My nearest neighbours are half a mile away across fields and I let them know if we have fireworks.

YANBU that it would have been polite of them to give you a heads-up so that you could keep the cat in. It's a bit odd that you haven't met them at all, though - if they are next door then you or your DH should probably have popped around to introduce yourselves by now.

Wait until the morning and your garden is littered with their crappy rockets. Get up early and fling them back over the fence.

Pesky neighbours. Fireworks should only be permitted at organised events and restricted to certain times.

Ooh, I love fireworks. Can I come?
Save me a toffee apple.
Babies will sleep through anything.if they're tired.
Knock on the door, introduce yourself and join the fun. What better way to get to know them

YANBU, especially considering the fire risk to your house. They really should have let you know before hand so you could clear your guttering, make preparations to spend the night elsewhere etc before hand if you were concerned.

What I’m finding harder to understand is how anyone could tolerate 45 minutes of the sound of fireworks going off in their tiny back yard. Are masochists or just deaf?

It's Bonfire Night. It's to be expected.

@hazell42 do you have babies? Most have to be far far beyond tired to sleep through that!

Hearing some fireworks going off somewhere in the distance, yes expected.

Hearing fireworks going off from the garden attached to your garden, no not expected. Why should it be expected? OP, said that it's not a common event in her neighbourhood.

YANBU, OP.

YANBU that's incredibly thoughtless and rude.

And definitely don't go and introduce yourself and invite yourself to someone elses party. No-one does that.

Hats off to them for actually doing it on the right day, but a heads up would have been polite.

Absolutely not on. They should have pre-warned you. If my dog was in the house petrified I'd be hanging over the fence with a hose, wouldn't give a fuck about the repercussions.

My son is autistic and gets really shaky and distressed, covering his ears when the banging goes off 😔 He's currently in his room with his dad, with headphones covering his ears. It's a bloody shame.

Have you been round and told them you have a new baby??

Why should it be expected?

Bit disingenuous.

Because people set off fireworks on Bonfire Night in this country, and have done for centuries?

At least that's what people have done on 5th November in all the places in England I've ever lived.... . The neighbours are new so perhaps they just aren't aware yet that this is a non-celebrating neighbourhood.

It would of course have been kind of them to let the neighbours know in advance, due to baby/any pets/any issues with loud noises, so OP could have made arrangements.