London's New Year's Eve fireworks to be ticketed - £10 each

London's New Year's Eve fireworks to be ticketed - £10 each

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Rosscow

Original Poster:

8,723 posts

162 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
London's New Year's Eve fireworks display is to be limited to 100,000 ticketed spectators for the first time.

The event's popularity made it "untenable" to put such a strain on the capital's transport and safety infrastructure, the Mayor's office said.

The display was first staged at the London Eye on the South Bank in 2003.

Attendance grew from 100,000 in its first year to an estimated half a million at last year's event.

Boris Johnson said: "London's New Year's Eve fireworks are phenomenally popular, not just in the capital, but across the world and we want to ensure it continues to be a safe, enjoyable and sustainable event for the long-term."

A spokesman said last year's display had put "enormous strain on transport and safety infrastructure", and after consulting emergency services and Transport for London the event in its current form was found to be "untenable".

It increasing popularity meant capacity was often being reached by early evening, leaving hundreds of thousands of people unable to get a good view, with even the early arrives facing a wait of several hours and cramped conditions.

Visitors have also faced long delays after the close of the event to find their way home on public transport.

People wishing to attend this year's event will be able to book up to four tickets, costing £10 each, from 26 September at 12 noon.

Rosscow

Original Poster:

8,723 posts

162 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
So.... how's this going to work then?

Surely you'll just have thousands of people without a ticket standing as close to the ticketed area as possible?

nelly1

5,630 posts

230 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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It won't make any difference to the size of the crowd, but they'll have made £1,000,000 out of it.

Petrol Only

1,592 posts

174 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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So pay £10 to look up...

Rosscow

Original Poster:

8,723 posts

162 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Petrol Only said:
So pay £10 to look up...
In a nutshell hehe

grahamn

1,777 posts

233 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Rosscow said:
So.... how's this going to work then?

Surely you'll just have thousands of people without a ticket standing as close to the ticketed area as possible?
No...they have new rockets that only go up a few feet.thumbup

Mr Will

13,719 posts

205 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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To be honest I have no complaints about this. Pay £10 to guarantee a good view without having to be crushed in a crowd for 6 hours or find a vantage point further away and watch for free. The crowds in the centre were getting ridiculous last time I went and that was a few years ago now!

Frybywire

466 posts

195 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Charging people to look up in London. Go Tory boy.

sherman

13,067 posts

214 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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If its anything like edinburgh the best view point will be where the ticketed bit is but there will be the same again at every other view point around the city.

skilly1

2,700 posts

194 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Good idea if it means you don't have to reserve a spot for 5 hours, you can get to a drinks area and toilet.

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Frybywire said:
Charging people to look up in London. Go Tory boy.
Great display of intelligence and logic!

Hint, it's not about if you can look up, but how comfortable you want to be doing so and do you fancy standing around for 5 hours before to get a good view or rock up with an hour to go...

grumbledoak

31,499 posts

232 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Seems like a good idea - I've always avoided it in the past, and I was walking distance away. It may actually be worth paying, going, and enjoying it.

williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Of course there will now be corporate hospitality choices for those who wish to pay more. Say they block book 20sq m and install a small grandstand, serve drinks etc etc. it'll be delightful, dahling....

ViperDave

5,520 posts

252 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Rude-boy said:
Frybywire said:
Charging people to look up in London. Go Tory boy.
Great display of intelligence and logic!

Hint, it's not about if you can look up, but how comfortable you want to be doing so and do you fancy standing around for 5 hours before to get a good view or rock up with an hour to go...
not to mention on the 5th nov or Saturday thereabouts, there are lions clubs, schools and what not all over the country charging £5 - £10 odd to stand in a muddy field and look up, ok they may chuck in some dodgy fairground rides for an extra fee or the local z list radio star and tribute band.

So £10 for the countries premiere fireworks display doesn't sound bad, and believe me the way it was a few years ago i wouldn't be going again, 5-6 hours before left us crushed in a crowd on Whitehall fortunately with a view of the wheel between buildings but only about 1/3 of the fireworks, the embankment and bridges having already been sealed off as full, and we had a much better view than many down in parliament sq etc So £10 to guarantee a pitch on embankment or a bridge where i don't have to stand for 6 hours sounds ideal.

Chances are anyone going has paid much more on their train fare or hotel for the night, the only issue i would have is its a bit late to be announcing this now for this years display as many will have made arrangements for accommodation and now may not get tickets for the fireworks

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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ViperDave said:
not to mention on the 5th nov or Saturday thereabouts, there are lions clubs, schools and what not all over the country charging £5 - £10 odd to stand in a muddy field and look up, ok they may chuck in some dodgy fairground rides for an extra fee or the local z list radio star and tribute band.
So is Boris doing this for a charitable cause, as the organisations you've I located do with their 5th November events?

As far as I'm concerned, anyway, it's fine, it will presumably ease the burden on the general taxpayer by £1M or so.

Torquey

1,888 posts

227 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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It would be nice to see the proceeds go to charity but doubt that will happen.

grumbledoak

31,499 posts

232 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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It isn't the government's job to give the tax revenue to charity. In fact it is quite perverse, though it is done for political reasons.

Boris should aim for the event to pay for itself out of the ticket sales.

KareemK

1,110 posts

118 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Once again the Tories manage to discriminate against those families who are not so well off - £50 for a husband, wife and 3 kids, brilliant. And at just the time of year when household budgets are reeling anyway.

Adrian W

13,848 posts

227 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
KareemK said:
Once again the Tories manage to discriminate against those families who are not so well off - £50 for a husband, wife and 3 kids, brilliant. And at just the time of year when household budgets are reeling anyway.
A very good point, more elitist bks

boyse7en

6,671 posts

164 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
KareemK said:
Once again the Tories manage to discriminate against those families who are not so well off - £50 for a husband, wife and 3 kids, brilliant. And at just the time of year when household budgets are reeling anyway.
But by that argument, access to the London Eye, London Dungeon and the Royal Opera House should also be free.