FAQ Series – Do I need to notify anyone that I am having a fireworks display?
Who should I inform that I am going to be using fireworks?
Fireworks do, unfortunately, suffer from bad press. Like most things that cause upset for members of the public, dog mess and knife crime being just two, it’s not the actual ‘thing’ itself that’s the problem. It’s the people that have or use them. There are lots of things that we, as responsible people, can do to help alleviate some of the issues surrounding fireworks and one of those is communication.
By law fireworks can be set off all year around between the hours of 7am and 11pm. Certain dates such as Bonfire Night, Diwali and Chinese New Year it’s Midnight and New Year’s Eve that’s extended to 1am. Outside of November 5th and New Year’s Eve your local neighbourhood may not be expecting to hear fireworks so these are the people that you really should be informing. A note through the door explaining that you’re having fireworks on this date and at this time and that they should last for x amount of time should suffice. If that’s impractical, many communities have a Facebook group. Sign up to that and post about your display on there. Even if it’s just one firework, if it’s going to be noisy it’s best to be safe and inform your neighbours. We find that many people are grateful for the warning although you will still get the odd person who will moan – just because they can. But remember that you’re being a good neighbour and going above and beyond what is required.
It should go without saying that if you’re close to stables or kennels, or even live close by to people with dogs or other pets, these people should be your priority and you should not be letting off fireworks close to livestock or horses.
If the display is taking place on land that you own that’s it. No need to inform anyone else (although sometimes the lock police force can be a good addition in case they get calls from people thinking that they can hear gun shots!) If you don’t have the space for fireworks in your garden and are using a local farmers field or such like make sure you get the land owners permission. Fireworks in the local park or other public space are a definite no-no. If using fireworks near to the coast, the coast guard should be informed to avoid any false alarms.
Basically, it’s all about common sense and good manners. Using fireworks is not against the law but we can all go some way to making sure it stays that way by using fireworks responsibly and being good neighbours.
This blog post is an expansion as part of our FAQ series and you can find the original question here.
Leave a Reply