Blackheath: the politics of fireworks

Like marmite, it seems fireworks create a strong reaction from the public.

For some people fireworks are very special, and for them, nothing can beat a public firework display.  I should declare that I fall into this category.

But for others, fireworks are a curse.  The reasons for this hostility are numerous, stretching from the impact fireworks can have on pets, through to the challenges they may create for those with autism.  It is no exaggeration to say that for some people, fireworks (especially those set off at random hours) create days of misery in early November.

But just as fireworks create controversy, so too does the question of whether public firework displays should be provided by local councils, and if so, should they be free?

The return of Blackheath fireworks this year was welcomed by many. On social media there are extensive comments praising the returning firework display, while the website for the event showed happy faces. 

However, adverse comments are also easy to find on social media, stretching from the steep price of drinks, through to difficulties some people faced passing through security and entering the event.  

Others were taken aback that for days before the event, a large section of the heath was enclosed by fencing. The damage to the grass on the heath is another concern.

Of course, this year was different. The event featured live entertainment, DJs, comedians, a food village, craft beer festival and funfair, in addition to the firework display.

But the most important change was that, for the first time since the firework displays started in late 1980s, it was a ticketed event with adults charged £16, 11-15-year-olds £10, and even children aged 10 and under being charged a fiver.

Ongoing disputes over funding

While ticketing is a new development, controversy relating to the funding of Blackheath fireworks is far from new.   

To understand past disputes over funding, it is vital to remember that Blackheath straddles both Greenwich and Lewisham.  And while it is true that the majority of the heath falls under Lewisham, the firework display is very much an event that caters equally for people from both Greenwich and Lewisham. 

Indeed, if you a Charlton resident you will find getting to Blackheath far easier than a Lewisham resident from Bellingham, Forest Hill or Sydenham.

Common sense would suggest that Greenwich and Lewisham councils would work together, and equally share the costs of putting on a public firework display that serves residents from both boroughs.

But sadly the problem with common sense is that it is not actually common, and in 2010 Greenwich council withdrew its support for Blackheath fireworks at short notice.

Greenwich did eventually come back as a sponsor in 2015, although falling far short of matching the contribution made by Lewisham.

To get the full picture of how Greenwich and Lewisham councils contributed to the costs of Blackheath fireworks, it is worth looking in detail of what happened in 2019, the last year they were provided as a free public display.  

Darryl Chamberlain of the Greenwich Wire (formerly known as 853) raised a freedom of information request regarding the funding arrangements for the 2019 fireworks display, and covered the results in his excellent report.

He points out: “Lewisham allocated £36,300 to the display this year - roughly the same amount as in 2010 - with £28,500 earned from the funfair, bars and food stalls. A crowdfunding campaign and bucket donations on the night raised £12,721, with sponsorship raising £11,625.

"Sponsors included the Clarendon Hotel, the estate agent Hamptons International, FW Conway, which provides Lewisham’s street works, and Glendale, the company that manages Lewisham’s parks. Greenwich paid £16,300, leaving Lewisham council taxpayers to make up the £15,554 shortfall.”

But in addition to Greenwich making a far smaller financial contribution than its neighbouring borough, it created other problems in the run up to the 2019 firework display. 

The Greenwich Wire report highlights: “This year’s (2019) display saw Greenwich confirm its £16,300 contribution just five weeks before the display, with Lewisham officers left worrying that Greenwich would pull out completely once again.”

Will we ever return to Blackheath fireworks being free?

With even a "special" family ticket for this year’s event costing £54 (for 2 adults and 2 children aged 11 or over), there are many people who hope that a free public display can return.

It is a reasonable hope. However, my honest view is that it would be very difficult, unless Greenwich and Lewisham council put their past bickering aside and accept that any display must be funded 50/50 between the two councils.

There are also new challenges for councils trying to fund a free display.  For example, back in 2019 voluntary donations were raised with people literally throwing loose change into buckets.

However, much has changed since 2019. Collecting change from bucket collections is far more difficult due to an increasing number of people no longer carrying cash - and trying to collect cardless donations in the dark as crowds rush past, is hardly an easy task.

But before despairing that a return of a free display will ever be possible, it is worth noting what has changed.

Firstly, the cost of putting on a ticketed fireworks event is far more expensive than the cost of a free display.  Yes, there was a much wider range of entertainment put on this year, but there was also a significant cost for the organisers for simply having to fence off the display area. Ticketed events, by their very nature need to be able to exclude people and there is a very serious cost to doing that.

Secondly, this year only 30,000 people were able to attend the display, compared to the estimated 100,000 who enjoyed the free display in 2019 and in previous years.   The reason for such differing figures is not complex - while the fenced area was extensive (and expensive to provide), it was ultimately only a small part of the huge heath that people previously enjoyed watching the fireworks from.

And thirdly, we simply can’t get away from the fact that the event is no longer accessible to all households, whatever their income. Sadly, even with 1000 slightly discounted tickets for Lewisham residents, this year’s display remained out of reach for thousands of low-income households in Greenwich and Lewisham.

The failure of Greenwich and Lewisham councils to work together on an equal basis, for the mutual benefit of their residents, has sadly come at a huge cost.

For reports of the challenges in providing the free Blackheath fire displays between 2010 and 2019, please see the archive of the former 853 website. Blackheath fireworks Archives - The Greenwich Wire