5 replies to this topic

[David]

British Fireworks

Three companies compete, the winner gets a place in the final in August. Its free, and should be well attended. There isn't actually an address, just "Buile Hill park" I'm sure thats easy enough to find.

[David]

Did anyone go to this? I didn't fancy it in the end, I really don't like the crowds, especially when leaving in the car.

[The Legendary Graham]

I went 3 show, 2 of the companies turned up with the specified 3k budget the 3rd team turned up with far more. The first 2 shows while decent were really just run of the mill the final one was a shellfest and was rather good.
But whoever did the risk assesment and managed the crowds wants to be shot none of these shows should have been fired in this park. Im used to dodging falling debris from hand firing many shows but i had my daughter with me who was reduced to tears at the panic that ensued when the area myself and many other people were viewing from started to look like the fallout zone from a volcano. Embers were burtsing into flames all around everyone someone needs to be sacked for this big a f**k up it was disgusting and is a miracle no one was hurt loads of shells reached the ground. The main problem was how close the shows were to the public in the rest of the park not the area someone obviously thought everyone would watch from i was originally stood about 50m from the setup area but fallout and debris went at least 300m meters beyond this point look up the park on google earth and you will understand why this was such a bad choice.

Edited by The Legandary Graham, 14 April 2008 - 08:21 PM.

[David]

I went 3 show, 2 of the companies turned up with the specified 3k budget the 3rd team turned up with far more. The first 2 shows while decent were really just run of the mill the final one was a shellfest and was rather good.
But whoever did the risk assesment and managed the crowds wants to be shot none of these shows should have been fired in this park. Im used to dodging falling debris from hand firing many shows but i had my daughter with me who was reduced to tears at the panic that ensued when the area myself and many other people were viewing from started to look like the fallout zone from a volcano. Embers were burtsing into flames all around everyone someone needs to be sacked for this big a f**k up it was disgusting and is a miracle no one was hurt loads of shells reached the ground. The main problem was how close the shows were to the public in the rest of the park not the area someone obviously thought everyone would watch from i was originally stood about 50m from the setup area but fallout and debris went at least 300m meters beyond this point look up the park on google earth and you will understand why this was such a bad choice.

Bloody Hell! Truth be told, I did have a bit of a bad feeling about this. I am always a bit worried at public events about organisation- crowd managment etc.

So debris was falling INTO the crowd? Did that happen after the first display, or just during the third?

This is obviously totally unacceptable- and worse, its going to give fireworks a bad press. Just what we don't need.

[The Legendary Graham]

All 3 shows i dont know how it was for people stood in the area where the organisers presumed everyone would watch from, but from the side and the back it was very bad, this park was just not big enough for the event/or managed properly. As soon as i arrived i knew this was going to happen the police and marshalls quite clearly had no experience in this kind of event, otherwise i would not be writing this.

[David]

this park was just not big enough for the event/or managed properly. As soon as i arrived i knew this was going to happen the police and marshalls quite clearly had no experience in this kind of event, otherwise i would not be writing this.

I totally agree- its definatly best to mention these problems "in the open" then people, organisers etc can work together to improve.

From the orginal link website, it was actually organised by TESA- the event services association.

The other thing ( a general ponder- not a question for you specifically)- why did the second and third company go ahead and fire when there was debris issues and crowd issues?