To ask your views on fireworks?

[LlynTegid]

I am sure there will be many on MN who have views, if threads in previous years are an indication. So I'll start the discussion here.

My opinion is that there should be designated days only, and organised displays. Probably no more than five or six such days a year. Allows for celebration, reduces possibility of injury, and warning so you can be indoors when they happen and protect any person or animal.

I love fireworks.

I'm not saying I wouldn't abide by any laws brought in or I don't understand why people get upset about random ones. But I love the lights and the smell. Joy in November is hard to come by.

Yes that seems like a measured approach. I think obtaining a license for firework displays , as we do for late night festivities, should be a requirement , and a move towards more environmentally friendly displays - light and sound rather than gunpowder, flashy things, and smoke.

I live near a nature reserve; the fireworks started last night, right by the pond.Ducks, foxes , probably some deer, disturbed by some drunken idiots.

I like them. Mind you, I live in an area where I only hear them sporadically for a couple of days around bonfire night.

I think they shouldn’t be on sale to the general public. Pollution and noise upsetting pets, wildlife and people with PTSD. I don’t mind organised displays as they are safer and fireworks is an important tradition for many,

last night in our area the police were called cause a group of teens were setting off fireworks aimed at passers by and trick or treaters. That’s why they shouldn’t be available to anyone. They are dangerous.

I think they shouldn’t be on sale to the general public. Pollution and noise upsetting pets, wildlife and people with PTSD. I don’t mind organised displays as they are safer and fireworks is an important tradition for many

This. I think they should only be sold to people doing public displays.

Organised displays only.

Meant to say just anyone. It should be by license for well organised displays.

I really wish they were organised displays only was a big source of stress for me in the past not knowing how long fireworks will last, when they will be on vs having all that info when it’s an organised one. luckily I moved a couple of years ago and there’s no fireworks that happen around me, which has helped a lot.

I agree. I actually love fireworks, and the loud bangs are part of the thrill. However, these days, they seem to start in late October (well before Halloween) and go until around 10th November. It's too long.

I love them. They are very dangerous though and I'd prefer they were not sold to the general public. I'd stick with organised displays only.

I also love fireworks but think they shouldn't just be sold and let off, their needs to be alot stricter rules and regulations, not sure how that would work regarding different festivals. Luckily my animals aren't bothered by them but loads are, especially wildlife.

They need to only be silent

I like them, but I think that the selling restrictions should go back to how it was when I was younger. On sale for the week before Nov 5th and that is it.

They are dangerous and should be for organised displays or events e.g. wedding, party, new yrs and by a company. No sale to general public.

They terrify wildlife, cause fires and accidents, and leave detritus in streets, parks, and green spaces.

What's not to love?

I love them and I have fond memories of Bastille day as a child with french children causing absolute havoc.

As a grumpy adult I guess organised displays only are the way to go but it feels sad that weve lost a bit of spontaneity in the UK. Everything is so...organised.

Plenty of fireworks going off in Dublin last night for Halloween. They are Illegal here but people just pop over the border to get them. Banning them doesn't really work

Another vote for organised displays only.

I don’t like them. I’ve been to a display every year forever, but I always had a sense of not really enjoying it that much. That’s been compounded by having a kids who also don’t really enjoy them. They like the fanfare of the light up toys and the food/drink stalls, but that don’t like the fireworks and always want to leave when they start. I’ll probably start to give it a miss.

I'm another one who absolutely loves fireworks.
I would be very sad if they were ever banned or only allowed for large organised displays.
However, I agree that they cause worries for some people and some pets, so they should be confined to designated days - say, bonfire night weekend, Diwali, New Year's etc.

People should be able to have them in their own gardens, there's nothing worse than the state dictating who can have what, and making people pay money for some big commercial event where you can't park/get near the bonfire etc. But neighbours should be considerate enough to warn each other what they're having and when, and perhaps there should be a time limit for personal fireworks (eg. the show must be finished by 10pm or whatever).

My loveliest memories are of the family bonfire and fireworks every year. My mother would make hot jacket potatoes to eat, lots of nibbles and home-made treacle toffee. It was always frosty, we could stand around the bonfire without anyone saying "don't get too close" and we'd watch the fireworks with utter wonderment. Pure magic!

I love them but would be happy with just organised displays. Our village holds one every year. No one else seems to let them off in the run up or after so very quiet and civilised where fireworks are concerned!

I do enjoy an organised fireworks display but rarely go now as my dog is absolutely terrified of them so I stay home with him, poor thing.

I agree with everyone else who’s said they should be on sale to organised events only that have applied for a licence and have completed a risk assessment on their use. They’ve been going off randomly the last couple of nights round here, the dog is scared, it disturbs wildlife and they’re just dangerous- we don’t even get the public safety messaging around their use like we used to.

I love fireworks. But I think they should be controlled displays only for particular occasions and they should have a licence. And keep the ban at certain times of the night. Or if you randomly wanted a display at home, they could make it a thing where you pay to get people to do the display for you and you have to get permission.

I don’t think anyone should be able to just buy fireworks. They’re dangerous if not used correctly. I dread to think how many people are burnt and injured each year through misuse of fireworks. We get a lot chucked about round ours at all hours, we live by the sea, last year some random set off a firework and someone’s dog ran off and it was found washed up. I know it is rare but I just thought was a senseless and upsetting thing to happen just because someone thought it would be fun to mess around. It wasn’t even a ‘display’ at home, just a random one being set off for fun. And just read this morning about a lady whose mum died after 2 lads popped a lit firework through the door. So I don’t think they’re safe to just be bought at the supermarket.

I can't stand the noise of them and feel so sorry for animals suffering from selfish bastards who feel the need to set then off.

Official, licensed displays on November 5th, for example, is fair enough but they have no business whatsoever in the hands of the general public and should be banned from sale.

That’s interesting to know they’re banned in Dublin - is that banned for private use? I get it doesn’t stop them completely but at least they’re trying!