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

[jackalbion]

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.

Very well put!

 

[Sorrel]

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).

Waterloo don't charge for the fireside and I don't think Commercial Square do either, but I've not been to theirs recently. Not charging means that all the drunks end up at their places, of course.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

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.

It's not so much about violence as capacity. In the past, there's been a real risk of crushing in the crowds, either around the High Street for the procession, or when thousands of incomers attempted to head to the station at the end, hoping to catch the last train home. Add in the fact that a lot of those people will have had a few drinks and it used to be seen as an unmanageable risk. I remember getting caught in a crush in Lewes years ago, and it was not fun.