- Oct 17, 2008
- 14,486
THOROUGHLY deserved. This evil woman knew. Disgusting.
“What should we do with her??”
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
[Sussex] Who’s Going to Lewes Bonfire Celebrations Tomorrow?
- Thread starter Chicken Run
- Start date
THOROUGHLY deserved. This evil woman knew. Disgusting.
“What should we do with her??”
Excellent
Brilliant. Thanks!
- Thread starter
- #84
Well that’s another November 5th out the way, my dog can come out from behind the sofa or can i expect another 5 days of of this shit ?
keaton
Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
- Nov 18, 2004
- 9,972
I would say taking kids to the Lewes bonfire is far safer for everyone than half-arsed pissed parents doing fireworks and sparklers in small gardens at homeFun for the whole family
Now Johnny, you hold that sparkler at arms length and when it goes out, make sure you put it in that bucket of sand.
Now Johnny, take that stake, dip the cloth in that barrel of tar, set light to it and walk through the centre of town swinging it around your head and chuck it in the gutter when you get the chance of a better one
Don't you just love Lewes
- Jan 18, 2009
- 4,885
It’s easy to understand why Farage is a lightening rod for justifiable criticism in a wide range of political matters, however if there are going to be effigies created about the riots connected to the events in Southport did any of the bonfire societies consider whether one should be knocked up depicting a young black man violently stabbing white kids?
Even if Farage is guilty of stoking emotions in the aftermath, he was not the root cause of those riots. They have been in the post for a number of years, only the deluded would believe otherwise.
If people want to send political messages in essentially non political events they really need to think them through……..it’s this kind of wrong headed thinking that gives rise to people like Trump getting elected.
I have been to Lewes many times over the years. The Cliffe's tableaux of Reagan and Thatcher was fantastic
.
Never seen any violence and whilst you could get a bit squished, there were never any crushes where people got injured which I witnessed. Bonfire Night used to be a real shot in the arm for the town's economy and I'm really not sure whether stopping outsiders attending was at the behest of the town's community or the old bill. In any event, they have now made it such an ordeal to get there that I can't be arsed with it.
I used to like explaining to the tourists about the Protestant martyrs and why effigies of the Pope were being burned.
So what comes next? You can only attend Pride if you pay Council Tax in Brighton or Hove?
It's sad to see a Sussex tradition on its way out. Remember that the Societies largly survive on donations to build their tableaux for next year but if there are fewer and fewer visitors to fill the buckets........
.
Never seen any violence and whilst you could get a bit squished, there were never any crushes where people got injured which I witnessed. Bonfire Night used to be a real shot in the arm for the town's economy and I'm really not sure whether stopping outsiders attending was at the behest of the town's community or the old bill. In any event, they have now made it such an ordeal to get there that I can't be arsed with it.
I used to like explaining to the tourists about the Protestant martyrs and why effigies of the Pope were being burned.
So what comes next? You can only attend Pride if you pay Council Tax in Brighton or Hove?
It's sad to see a Sussex tradition on its way out. Remember that the Societies largly survive on donations to build their tableaux for next year but if there are fewer and fewer visitors to fill the buckets........
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
There have been donations places around the town for several weeks, and the societies charge to attend their bonfires, which used to be free.
Lewes doesn’t want thousands and thousands there. It’s for Lewes not a tourist attraction.
jackalbion
Well-known member
- Aug 30, 2011
- 4,913
The main driver of this (at least from the rail side) is the organisers and police, they simply don't want many people from outside the town making the event oversubscribed, as the infrastructure can't cope, on the pride point it was getting very close to a few years ago, where the local authority couldn't support the event unless numbers were controlled, however this year the numbers were down, which meant the event could easily be controlled. Since the train service has been stopped (at the request of the police and supported by the organisers) the crowd numbers at Lewes have actually stayed about the same, there hasn't been a shift in either direction really.
Algernon
Well-known member
I'm genuinely curious. Who says Lewes doesn't want thousands there (for a single night of the year)? It seems to me it's the council and other authorities who want to ban visitors.
And it's a huge tourist attraction whether anyone likes it or not.
Good little piece here.
Right Brain Ronnie
Well-known member
Isn't Lewes a lib dem area, and full of zero emission warriors?
And they let this event go on year after year without blocking the roads and glueing themselves to a picture of Greta wearing just a pair of bamboo socks.
Say one thing and doing another, liebour style, you have to chuckle or you'd go mad.
And they let this event go on year after year without blocking the roads and glueing themselves to a picture of Greta wearing just a pair of bamboo socks.
Say one thing and doing another, liebour style, you have to chuckle or you'd go mad.
- Thread starter
- #92
Greens iirc although if the f*** with the Society’s the Society’s will eject the politicians, as close to French politics as you’ll get
Algernon
Well-known member
Et les processionneurs wearez le jompre du stripey.Greens iirc although if the f*** with the Society’s the Society’s will eject the politicians, as close to French politics as you’ll get
C'est ne pas l'incidence de co
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #94
Qui
As if....
Sorrel
Well-known member
I wouldn't be convinced that those in charge of the effigies are fully reflective of the membership opinions. I doubt there was unanimity in all those outside The Dorset in the choice of that effigy. But it's one year, there'll be something else along next year anyway.
Sorrel
Well-known member
There was a whole set of buses to take people back to Brighton laid on and a huge queue for them at 10:30. It's not like there were no non-residents there among the spectators.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
Who pays for the police, crowd control and road closures?
Lewes is more than just Bonfire Night, remembering the 17 martyrs as well.
Guy Fawkes
The voice of treason
- Sep 29, 2007
- 8,295
The limit on transport to and from Lewes on the day, and the parking restrictions there is really all down to the Police and local councils, etc and not something the bonfire societies necessarily agreed with or wanted to happen.
The only violence there tends to be on bonfire night (that i've ever been aware of, back when i was on a committee of one of the societies) is after the societies headed to their respective sites for their fireworks and there are a few drunks left in the high street who then decide to fight each other, especially as, at this stage, the Police have also usually left that area and followed the societies and main crowds to their fire fields.
The societies carry out various activities throughout the year to fundraise (from proms in the paddock to running a bar at local events) which are all run by volunteers to help cover the cost for the 5th (mainly fireworks), and they also hold badge night on the 4th, to collect the membership fees from the members participating in the event.
I'm not sure if all societies now charge for entry to their fire sites, but back when i was heavily involved, it wasn't the case and they just had collection buckets, and some of that money was often used to top up their charitable donations. The money donated to the collection buckets on the streets of Lewes was all given to local charities (at least when i used to be involved).
- Apr 19, 2018
- 2,130
The police and council have been pretty open in the past about not wanting loads of people there, and the Societies will cash-in on people visiting because they could do with the money, but because people visiting also ramp up the insurance cost (which is paid for by the societies) you'll find quite a few people in senior positions in the whole bonfire thing that would happily see a reduction in the number of people attending or potentially banning to non-residents completely. Nearly every injury and every single arrest each year is people visiting the town which makes insurance more expensive and increasingly gives authorities the excuse they need to make it more tame every year and perhaps eventually stop it in it's current form altogether. Everyone I knew in any society, and most of those I know who are still involved, dread it when it falls on a Friday or a Saturday simply because the crowds make it far more stressful and risky. If you've got any kind of position as a marshal you spend a lot of your time in the procession trying to stop idiots in the crowd from hurting themselves and the rest grinding your teeth in rage at the disrespect shown by the crowd at things like the war memorial.
The net benefit to the economy of the town is negligible to negative (everything shuts early, cost of boarding windows, clear-up etc) - so everything would be easier, cheaper and arguably more fun for a lot of those taking part if visitors weren't allowed in or were restricted like visitors to Hogmany in Edinburgh. (Not necessarily my views, but I lived in Lewes for over 20 years and was involved a bit in that time including as a marshal for one society.)
Within the past 10 years one society had an article in their programme basically telling visitors they weren't wanted and if they had to be there to be mindful of the fact they were being tolerated at best. Not all hold such strong views, but for those taking part not having such a big crowd - like in the year of the flood - doesn't diminish the night at all. You'll find quite a lot of people say the best bit is bonfire prayers at the end of the night when almost everyone not from the town has gone home and those that haven't don't know it's going on and each society has what's almost a private celebration to end the night - it can be hard to grasp because it's not common these days, and people will mock the "local people" thing, but the whole night really is an event for those taking part, not an event for show. But the point is, I guess, to answer your question I don't think anyone involved with putting it on wants thousands there on the night because it creates a load of problems and doesn't really have much benefit.
Last edited: