13 replies to this topic

[David]

Note- I'm not aiming to make any judgments (some of these are touchy issues)- I'm not saying the current situation is worse, or better. This is just a discussion about changing trends, without being critical.

When I was young, the place to go for fireworks would be either a newsagent or a sports shop. Not any more! I think this is due to many factors. Firstly, both businesses are in general decline. Smaller, individual sports shops seem to have all but disappeared from the high street. What we get now are large "sports" shops selling mainly CLOTHING. Also many newsagents have become more like Spar shops, selling drinks, food etc. Add that more people have cars, and as such drive to supermarkets rather than relying on local shops.

Also, fireworks have got much bigger, meaning what a smaller shop can stock is limited. Add to this new safety laws with associate costs and I think a lot of small shops simply don't find it profitable. Also the ban on bangers, little rockets etc and stricter laws means that a "traditional" customer base is lost by the newsagents.

A general conclusion would be that the fireworks retail industry has grown a great deal, but part of this has been the decline of traditional sellers. My Grandma still finds the concept of a shop JUST selling fireworks to be absurd, although in fairness the "all year" shop near her is never, ever, open. I assume it went bust but the building still has the old sign etc.

Edited by David, 16 October 2007 - 10:42 AM.

[Arthur Brown]

Lots now relies on the shop having a legal department that can understand the fireworks act and MSER. Small shopkeepers prob don't have the time or inclination or in several area the language ability to study and apply acts of parliament to their benefit only for two weeks of the year. Also in my youth the shopkeepers had a LOT less to fear from marauding packs of chavs than they do now.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Maruading chavs - LOL, very true Arthur!

Newsagents & Independant sports shops - I think this just go`s to show how big business & trends have changed, as David implied - many of our boring high streets are now full of chain stores/food outlets or pound shops, personally I think we are poorer for it in terms of service/choice, and in terms of the medium/long term prosperity of our country, but I guess with there buying power and the might of chinese manufacturing its cheaper relative to many peoples incomes today!

[Arthur Brown]

The people who sell now, have the commercial muscle to buy one or more container loads direct from China. Probably so much muscle that China Inc. will specially package some lines for them, or even specially make some devices for them. The small retailer with a dozen selection boxes and some rockets, is OVER. They cannot buy well enough to sell at a profit.

Asda's buying team and Sainsbury's, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl Morrisons and all the rest went to China long ago and specified boxes that they could retail for £1.99 £3.99 etc. and they will have placed multi container orders bought very cheaply, so it really is worth their legal team wading through MSER and licensing storage at all stores.

Is it really worth the money for some early rising newsagent for perhaps 100 firework sales totalling less than £1000.

Actually If you had access to shipping data I think you would find the ships coming from China loaded largely with pyro in UN cases in containers. Just like last year the papers had a pic of a container ship "bringing Christmas novelties from China" Just that the EIG doesnt really want to advertise the fact that fireworks are imported, the where or the when, to discourage terrorist or activist protest.

[David]

The small retailer with a dozen selection boxes and some rockets, is OVER. They cannot buy well enough to sell at a profit.

Well, I know of one wholesaler who will sell to shops at a discount of about 60% on RRP. I think, like you say, the main problem is all the legal-mumbo jumbo. And of course the worry of people trying to buy illegally- small shopkeepers simply don't want the hassle.

[Arthur Brown]

Most if not all of my "corner shop" proprietors are asian and speak only moderate English and cannot hope to understand MSER. Plus if you turnover £1 - 3K over the two week period and get done for an underage sale it's a total loss.

For a shop Storage is easier out of town, and If someone has driven there they may be of legal firework age.

[David]

Also there seems to be a decline in town centre sales , even four or five years ago there were lots of shops in Blackpool and Preston that sold fireworks.

[pmhcfc]

Also there seems to be a decline in town centre sales , even four or five years ago there were lots of shops in Blackpool and Preston that sold fireworks.

I agree with you all. I guess the way forward for the future is to purchase from specific firework shops or online. I had a great chat with the guy from http://www.atomicfireworks.co.uk/ . Although he sells mostly Panda fireworks at the moment, his prices are fantastic + he's a really nice chap. For e.g. : pack of 4 Ghost rockets sell elsewhere for £12 - £14, he sells the same pack for £5. (I've already had a order delivered)

As long as they don't pass cetain laws, banning us all from buying fireworks I think fewer and fewer 'corner shops' and or Supermarkets will be selling fireworks.

As a kid I remember how excited I got when the 2 newsagents in our little village started stocking fireworks. One sold Standard and the other sold Brocks. Sadly (?) those days have long gone.

[David]

As a kid I remember how excited I got when the 2 newsagents in our little village started stocking fireworks.

Yes, me too! And these were individual fireworks, like individual fountains etc- I would buy one a day, or perhaps less than one a day , in the run up to Bonfire night. Lots more fun that just buying a set selection box.

Edited by David, 17 October 2007 - 08:21 PM.

[pmhcfc]

Yes, me too! And these were individual fireworks, like individual fountains etc- I would buy one a day, or perhaps less than one a day , in the run up to Bonfire night. Lots more fun that just buying a set selection box.

I grew up on a council estate in the said village and knew a couple of the (local) people who worked in the two small shops. At the time I was a milk boy (used to help the milkman on his rounds) so I knew almost everyone on the estate (some 300 odd houses) so I'd ask my 'contacts' who had bought the most and biggest fireworks. Then I'd share this info with some mates and we'd sneak round to somewhere near these house's gardens and watch their fireworks from the fields or undergrowth...

Edited by pmhcfc, 18 October 2007 - 01:06 AM.

[maxman]

Also is everywhere quiet this year so far? I live in the North West and fireworks went on sale over a week ago yet I've heard no bangs at all yet, or seen so much as a lonesome rocket streak across the sky! It's a sad world in which we live!

[dr thrust]

yeah, ive not heard that many going off this year,but all the banging stuff's gone!,no mini rockets,airb**bs,bangers! stuff i grew up on! ahh happy days, and yes there are a lot fewer shops selling fireworks this year in bolton, i went for a look for shops on saturday and only found a couple! and didn't think much of the neto/lidi type fireworks,blink and you missed them

[David]

I think thats right- cheap noise makers, and rockets, arn't really on sale any more. Plus the growing domination of supermarkets, which are out-of-town, means that some people (those most likely to let off early?) are less able to get fireworks.

That said, with all this buy one get one... stuff, people are going to have a lot of fireworks to let off on bonfire night!

Edited by David, 23 October 2007 - 11:02 PM.

[dr thrust]

yeah lots to let off on the 5th,but small i'd say looking whats in the shops, they won't need to ban them, thers nothing much to buy ,most are dull!crackle,whistle,crackle,crackle=yawn,i think the internet is the way to go,especially when you can whatch a video of the firework/s so you know what your getting! even some of the big cakes are a let down