[Sussex] Who’s Going to Lewes Bonfire Celebrations Tomorrow?

[The Oldman]

Used to go in my teens in the late 50’s. Burning barrels rolling down the streets, fireworks being thrown into the crowds. Proper naughty. The best thing as a teenager was that the girls loved the thrills so it was a great end to the evening and I do not mean the bonfires. Oh to be young again.
PS. Don’t tell Mrs O. Not around in those days.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I can only hear the loud fireworks from my house, i suppose if i walked up the hill to the edge of the field I could see the displays in the distance

Ideal, if it’s not raining.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Used to go in my teens in the late 50’s. Burning barrels rolling down the streets, fireworks being thrown into the crowds. Proper naughty. The best thing as a teenager was that the girls loved the thrills so it was a great end to the evening and I do not mean the bonfires. Oh to be young again.
PS. Don’t tell Mrs O. Not around in those days.

It's exactly what teenagers, and kids in their twenties, full of adrenaline, hormones and alcohol should do

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Lewes is a very strange place

Oo I'm in that video

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I will be there. Give me a wave as I walk past in my smugglers gear.

I marched with commercial for about 10 years, can't be arsed now

 

[Cotton Socks]

I was going regularly to Lewes bonfire night when I was at school in Lewes over 45 years ago. It was crowded then but still localised.

It’s just got out of hand in recent years so I don’t think there’s anything untoward in the police encouraging people not to travel to the area for public health and safety reasons- it was never supposed to be the biggest bonfire night in the World which is what it turned into.

Its not like policing a 30,000 crowd of relatively sober fans at the Amex - Lewes is a warren of small streets so bottle necks and crowd crushing can happen - the event is spread over a wide area much of which is in darkness away from the main drag.

Lewes bonfire night has always been highly politicised too and in the current environment, it probably does come with an element of risk of terrorist related activity.

- I’m with the police on this - stay at home - have a beer in the garden and make hotdogs on the barbi.

I always said that I'd never go there as it was dangerous etc from what I heard when my older sister went in the 80's but then I went & I want to go back & take Jnr. I know it's a rabbit warren but I've never heard of crushing there. Squeezes yes, but we're not talking train queue at the Amex the other week due to the fact it is so spread out. I do agree that it got really big at one stage but surely us that don't live that far away should be allowed to attend?
Lewes bonfire has always been politicised due to it's origins in religion.
I will stay home tomorrow & have a beer though, BBQ not on the menu, chilli con carne with rice while I watch bake off!

I absolutely hated it the one time I went. Very dangerous and just an excuse for the yoof to terrorise people with firecrackers, commit vandalism (or even arson) and pissed up idiots causing trouble.

I did see a 'fire cracker event' outside a pub on route back to the car beside the snail tunnel. There were 2 lines either side & it looked strangely organised (in hindsight) as they weren't trying to hit each other. At the time I couldn't work out what they were doing & it didn't look organised, so just shouted at them to stop while we went past & they did stop.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Nope. Think they've done both before.

But you can’t get too much of a good thing.

 

[SK1NT]

use to go to Lewes, Falmer or Brooklands (worthing) for fireworks as a kid. I don't really live in the area now so go to Kempton race course. Also have an eve doing fireworks at home (which is what i prefer). Lewes seems way too busy now.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Is the quote
"In terms of the risk of a potential terrorist attack, Ch Supt Hodges said: “Of course we recognise the fact this is a crowded event, and it would be remiss of us not to prepare." meant to put people off going? I've never seen potential terrorist attack mentioned for a small event like this. Even Pride doesn't get this.
Has anyone said Don't go to football, there may be a terrorist attack.

Well they don't go putting it on the posters, do they Of course there are contingency plans for terrorist incidents for Lewes, and for Pride, and, yes, for Albion games. I'm blown away that you think the police wouldn't consider that scenario when planning. Pride in particular attracts up to 100,000 people, and the very nature of it means it's an obvious potential target for certain groups, so, I can assure you there are loads of measures in place to protect people.

Granted, attacks are- hopefully- not that likely, but then you'd have thought it even less likely that somebody with terrorist ideologies would attack a group of 8yr old girls at a Taylor Swift themed party in Southport wouldn't you, and yet here we are. Continental Europe has seen plenty of incidents at crowded events, whether large scale group attacks or those carried out by lone wolves. The police are obliged to risk assess every big event and to have plans in place to cater for all sorts of eventualities. Luckily for you, you never hear about those plans, and fingers crossed you never have cause to think about them in future either.

 

[Norman Potting]

Fond memories of attending a few times in the '80s - friends lived by the prison crossroads and handy for comfort breaks and food. Abiding memory of the Kohima band (think that was them) marching up the street playing "Sussex by the Sea" at full volume and just after midnight !

No urge to visit now but may visit the town display this evening .

 

[atomised]

Well they don't go putting it on the posters, do they Of course there are contingency plans for terrorist incidents for Lewes, and for Pride, and, yes, for Albion games. I'm blown away that you think the police wouldn't consider that scenario when planning. Pride in particular attracts up to 100,000 people, and the very nature of it means it's an obvious potential target for certain groups, so, I can assure you there are loads of measures in place to protect people.

Granted, attacks are- hopefully- not that likely, but then you'd have thought it even less likely that somebody with terrorist ideologies would attack a group of 8yr old girls at a Taylor Swift themed party in Southport wouldn't you, and yet here we are. Continental Europe has seen plenty of incidents at crowded events, whether large scale group attacks or those carried out by lone wolves. The police are obliged to risk assess every big event and to have plans in place to cater for all sorts of eventualities. Luckily for you, you never hear about those plans, and fingers crossed you never have cause to think about them in future either.

I just checked back as I was sure my memory wasn't playing tricks back in 2015 the Pride parade was delayed for a while due to a suspicious package near the route. Having sat on the committee of a Lewes bonfire society for some years the safety advisory group very much brief on the risks of potential attack and I'm sure all major events have that contingency

 

[jcdenton08]

I just checked back as I was sure my memory wasn't playing tricks back in 2015 the Pride parade was delayed for a while due to a suspicious package near the route.

Having attended Pride several times I noticed a LOT of suspicious packages.

 

[el punal]

I’ve always been put off, never been. Is it really as ridiculously crowded and hassle as rumoured? Probably costs an arm and a leg to book accommodation in Lewis too?

I don’t know about being crowded but Lewis is a hell of trek to get to in the Hebrides, not sure about price of accommodation either. Lewes on the other hand . . . . .

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I don’t know about being crowded but Lewis is a hell of trek to get to in the Hebrides, not sure about price of accommodation either. Lewes on the other hand . . . . .

Pendant

 

[Bombardier]

I’ve always been put off, never been. Is it really as ridiculously crowded and hassle as rumoured? Probably costs an arm and a leg to book accommodation in Lewis too?

Lewes

 

[el punal]

Pendant

Indeed, swing when I’m winning.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Anyone know what the guest pie will be?

 

[Sorrel]

I'll be there. Looking forward to a night with no rain after the last two times with plenty of it.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I haven't done Lewes for years - a noise sensitive kid put paid to that - but it is an absolutely fantastic spectacle which nothing comes close to anywhere else in the UK that I've witnessed on 5th November. Are there still 5 bonfire societies? Incredible if so.

I doubt they get blacked up these days though.

 

[Official Old Man]

Well they don't go putting it on the posters, do they Of course there are contingency plans for terrorist incidents for Lewes, and for Pride, and, yes, for Albion games. I'm blown away that you think the police wouldn't consider that scenario when planning. Pride in particular attracts up to 100,000 people, and the very nature of it means it's an obvious potential target for certain groups, so, I can assure you there are loads of measures in place to protect people.

Granted, attacks are- hopefully- not that likely, but then you'd have thought it even less likely that somebody with terrorist ideologies would attack a group of 8yr old girls at a Taylor Swift themed party in Southport wouldn't you, and yet here we are. Continental Europe has seen plenty of incidents at crowded events, whether large scale group attacks or those carried out by lone wolves. The police are obliged to risk assess every big event and to have plans in place to cater for all sorts of eventualities. Luckily for you, you never hear about those plans, and fingers crossed you never have cause to think about them in future either.

I think you got the wrong idea of my post
"In terms of the risk of a potential terrorist attack, Ch Supt Hodges said: “Of course we recognise the fact this is a crowded event, and it would be remiss of us not to prepare." meant to put people off going? I've never seen potential terrorist attack mentioned for a small event like this. Even Pride doesn't get this.

By which I meant that yes, all big events have terrorist planning, but the word terrorist is never mentioned in the lead up to an event. Have they used it to scare people off from going?