The Lewes Bonfire Thread

[Grendel]

people come in to Lewes on the 5th to enjoy themselves. If the crowds disappeared, so would the spectacle and then the societies.

What absolute rubbish. The Bonfire Societies would continue with their celebrations of the Fifth whether 80,000 or 8 people came to watch them.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

LB - No Lord Bracknell jr at Firle this year? Looks like it was another great event.

Who are we marching with tonight?

The teaboy has been touring the nation over the past few weeks, exploding pyrotechnic devices to order.

When people arrange a "professional" display, they sometimes get him.



Tonight, the Bracknell posse will mainly be walking with the Cliffe - although I shall make my traditional contribution to the Borough's festivities in the United Grand Procession.

 

[Mendoza]

The teaboy has been touring the nation over the past few weeks, exploding pyrotechnic devices to order.

When people arrange a "professional" display, they sometimes get him.



Tonight, the Bracknell posse will mainly be walking with the Cliffe - although I shall make my traditional contribution to the Borough's festivities in the United Grand Procession.

I shall be watching you as I now have tickets, Miss B seems over excited and started drinking already

 

[Woodchip]

The teaboy has been touring the nation over the past few weeks, exploding pyrotechnic devices to order.

When people arrange a "professional" display, they sometimes get him.

God help the world!!! Glad he's doing well. Presume he's enjoying blowing things up for money instead of just for fun.

 

[Nibble]

Could everyone form Lewes stay the f*** out of Brighton on Saturdays. I have Christmas shopping to do and these out of towners should stop clogging up Churchill square. I have been shopping in Brighton for over ten years and each Christmas it gets worse. If you don't some from Brighton stay the f*** out of our shopping centres. They are for Brighton residents only. Do you have any idea how long I had to que up in Thorntons last weekend.











Sounds ridiculous eh? If you don't want a load of people turning up, don't put on an amazing display and procession.

 

[Woodchip]

I'll say this very slowly for you nipple!

The
Procession
Is
For
The
People
Of
Lewes.

If
Brighton
People
Want
To
Go
To
A
Procession
Then
They
Should
Lay
On
Their
Own!

 

[Nibble]

I'll say this very slowly for you nipple!

The
Procession
Is
For
The
People
Of
Lewes.

If
Brighton
People
Want
To
Go
To
A
Procession
Then
They
Should
Lay
On
Their
Own!

I will say this very quickly for you Woodchip. You do not get to decide who visits your town. Brighton has fireworks displays and you are all welcome.

This is unusual for you Woodchip but you are sounding like a bit of an unfriendly Yokal.

 

[Woodchip]

Possibly because I am involved in the bonfire societies, and understand how they work - to an extent.

As for being a yokel, yes I most definetly am (eh Roz/Lord B).

EDIT: Oh, and Brighton may lay on the firework display but where is the carnivalesque procession, drinking in the streets, singing bonfire songs, etc... Cosmoplitan city? My arse!!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Are the tourists also unwelcome? You know, the one's that effectively prop up the economy?

It is all about exhibitionism and I can't imagine it would be much fun with a smattering of Lewesian odd bods.

 

[beorhthelm]

It's not a no-go zone but given the numbers attending and the robust policing (since all leave is cancelled, it's not a very popular event with some of the constabulary who have been drafted in from all over Sussex) spectators should be aware that the evening may not be as enjoyable as they expected. It's totally unsuitable for small children and anyone who dislikes crowds or loud bangs! It's slightly quieter at the top end of the town but expect absolute mayhem at the more popular sections of the procession routes.

do the police really care? any officer in sussex knows its on every year, so they wouldnt book leave, and its a nice little overtime just before xmas. Its along time since i went but i aways remember the police pretty much stay out of the way. certainly at cliffe they where more concerned with keeping warm in their vans and you'd never see any bobbies at the firesite. (but thats in the days before tickets)

 

[Woodchip]

Are the tourists also unwelcome? You know, the one's that effectively prop up the economy?

It is all about exhibitionism and I can't imagine it would be much fun with a smattering of Lewesian odd bods.

Check out the likes of East Hoathly and Halland, Firle, Balcombe, Hastings (to an extent), Robertsbridge. These have a very small attendance, due in part to the size of the villages involved. Yet everyone has a really good night as the societies perform for each other, not the public. Especially at East Hoathly and Halland (trophies to win people).

Oh, why do I bother? You either understand bonfire societies or you don't. As much as they are exhibitionist, they are at the same time very introvert.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I wasn't being totally serious. The attitude that goes with it bugs me - i.e. This is a fantastic and unique event, but outsiders are not welcome and we don't want to share.

 

[tedebear]

I'll say this very slowly for you nipple!

The
Procession
Is
For
The
People
Of
Lewes.

If
Brighton
People
Want
To
Go
To
A
Procession
Then
They
Should
Lay
On
Their
Own!

Sadly if you wish to voice that opinion as a society, then you will not receive the warmest of feeling from the majority. That really is cliqueness of the grandest order!!

I'm sure the Bonfire Society would be pleased to see the enjoyment on everyones faces not simply their own....

 

[Uncle Buck]

Surely the bonfire societies would be better off in Glasgow?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Are people in Lewes that aren't members of a society allowed to watch the procession or do they have to stay at home?

 

[ali jenkins]

FAO Woodchip

If its a thing for the people that live in LEWES, why are you getting so defensive about it as you clearly come frome the "The glorious town of Seaford."

 

[Lord Bracknell]

God help the world!!! Glad he's doing well. Presume he's enjoying blowing things up for money instead of just for fun.

He certainly enjoyed himself last night, even the bit where his jacket melted. I thought he knew that polyester, paraffin and fire can be a lethal combination.

A trip to Withdean tonight will round his celebrations off nicely.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I'll say this very slowly for you nipple!

The
Procession
Is
For
The
People
Of
Lewes.

If
Brighton
People
Want
To
Go
To
A
Procession
Then
They
Should
Lay
On
Their
Own!

Blimey, very charitable of you.

Hope you had a lovelly time.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

As for "outsiders" ... all I will say is this.

The vast, vast majority are no trouble. They enjoy themselves immensely. The problems arise when idiots turn up equipped with their own fireworks and start letting them off with no sense of the dangers involved. Shooting rockets up into the sky randomly from within the crowd can be very alarming. Stopping them doing it is tiresome (and, somehow, the police melt into the background when it's going on). And when challenged by bonfire society members, the argument that "I'm only having some fun" sounds particularly unconvincing when uttered incoherently from a mouth that has clearly been taking in vast quantities of alcohol over the previous six hours. And when people get injured, they blame the bonfire societies.

 

[tedebear]

I think the smoke has gone to Woodchips head! The Bonfire Societies are a very old old tradition in Lewes, they are not about building things to burn for the locals to watch only, they are about celebrating the burning of protestants and guy fawkes. The only reason that outsiders are not encouraged to come is that it becomes excessively crowded, some idiots come loaded with their own sky bound ammunition and create mayhem.

The societies are good excuses for locals to get toegther (during the rest of the year) under the guise of a historical celebration but on the whole most of them just sing songs and drink ale some of the preach that the outside world shouldn't ever visit, but the fact that they pass buckets around making collections and then have an evening sometime next week to count it all up, should suggest that they are happy to have more people (as long as they are behaved!!)