The sale of fireworks in the UK is very tightly regulated. It is illegal to sell them to anyone under the age of 18, to let them off in a public place, to throw them or use them to attack animals or people, to light them after 23:00 on nearly every day of the year, or to sell them at all if they don’t meet the strict noise and safety standards set by Government.
Some people have called for fireworks to be banned completely. They say fireworks are too dangerous, that they scare animals and people, are harmful to the environment, or just a nuisance. The most vocal of these people in the UK campaign under the banner of the Fireworks Abatement Group. This group have petitioned Parliament to restrict the public use of fireworks, but this was last rejected in 2016.
FAB have been criticised for over-reacting to the danger of fireworks, for exaggerating the effect they have on animals, and for demanding that certain type of fireworks should be against the law – even when these particular products have been banned for years. They have also been accused of running fake appeals from the NHS asking people not to let off fireworks as part of the Clap for Carers events during the coronavirus pandemic.
FAB’s biggest critics include the UK Firework Alliance whose Facebook page is designed “to inform the general public of the facts around firework use in the UK, to promote the safe and sensible use of consumer fireworks and to fight any further and unnecessary legislation imposed on retail fireworks.”
Like many Facebook groups, this one gets heated and vitriolic at times, with some members being especially rude towards FAB. But its hosts seem determined to provide facts rather than opinions, and to allow the public to make up their own minds. They responded to a recent FAB post about fireworks getting louder in recent years by pointing out that the noise of fireworks has been restricted since 2006, that “bangers” have been illegal since 1997, that gunshots from licensed use in the countryside are much louder than fireworks, and that there are far greater dangers to livestock than the occasional rocket.
Our own view here at Peak Fireworks is that fireworks will continue to be available to the general public for many years to come. And that the sensible divide between different categories of fireworks is the best way of allowing people to enjoy them without causing unnecessary harm or upset to others. Larger displays will continue to be provided by licensed, qualified and insured professional companies.
We only want our customers to buy fireworks which suit the area where they are going to be used. Contact us for advice on any of our products, anytime. Check the noise levels on our product descriptions, and watch the videos to hear for yourself how loud they are going to be. If you want to rattle the windows, and you can do so without upsetting anyone, try the Quantum Power or the Miner’s Revenge. If you want to watch fireworks dance in the sky try the super-quiet Virtual Vortex or one of our beautiful candles.
