22 replies to this topic

[David]

Generally feeling this year is that it has been quieter, with less fireworks going off, than in the past. Rather than blaming blackpowder, or the economy, could it be that people simply are not buying fireworks because they are not impressed with what is on sale?

For sure, some businesses have brought in a lot of new fireworks- and these have been successful, it seems. Others have been inclined to basically stock the same stuff- often literally the same stock, as last year. Some supermarkets simply have not put any effort in. I just wonder if people have decided to give it a miss " ah, we did that last year" kind of thing. Or even if people were disappointed with the supermarket style stuff they bought last year, so avoided it.

[Aftershock]

Could be a number of reasons for it, was alot going off around my way last night but wasnt much last weekend, will see what this weekend brings.

Would certainly say people who have the displays every year were not letting as much or as big stuff off this year. I thinks theirs enough choice out their in the fireworks ranges for people to not get bored too easily and ive never let any stuff off from Supermarkets so cant comment on their ranges. The fact people dont have as much disposable income this year will undoubtedly make people buy less fireworks or none at all.

[Prestonboi]

It was going crazy round here last night for the couple of hours after 6:00pm, and even before that but it really kicked off after 6. Some houses letting off pyro that have never done for years as far as I've seen or are first timers! All I heard all night were bangs and whistles on the skyline.

I was told that people were piling out of Bulldog stores around Preston last night with fireworks at hand, and I noticed a few houses around here were letting off 16 shotters from the Bulldog range, (I remembered them from when I had 2 last year!), and a house on the street behind ours let off a whistling cakes with a 2 stage whistle effect, fired up in 5's by the looks of it, then across Blackpool Rd about 10 minutes later I saw another house let off the same firework!

My next door neighbours went to Morrisons and got the big Black Puma Box for £45 or something and the 2 cakes and a pack of rockets free offer, (I had a quick peep over the garden fence before they started firing and saw it all!).

I was out on my driveway between 6:00pm and 7:00pm just watching everyone else let theirs off, it was fun to watch but a lot of similar rockets went off so I just get the feeling a lot of the local houses were Bulldog Fireworks or supermarkets?

Nothing round here really had a wow factor except one of the Morrisons cakes that next door let off (that was pretty decent), the Bulldog 16 shots from other houses were ok, and a few rockets/cakes on the skyline looked good, apart from that the only decent stuff round here was ours!!

The choice is limited fore most people but I am glad a lot of stuff went off last night round here, quite relieved actually. I think the reason for lack off fireworks around Bonfire Night is down to poor choice and money.

One exception in Preston is Big D's, they offered a huge range at very low prices and advertised in the local paper a few times, there stuff was selling very well so I suppose if you give people choice, value for money and then let them know the stuff IS there on sale for Bonfire Night like Big D's did then it will sell.

I am already looking forward to next year, it's been quiet around Bonfire Night this year but last night was one of the busiest nights in recent years round here for fireworks going off so maybe people just decided to let them off on the night instead of early/late?

[pjalchemist]

Was pretty mental around here last night but not like it has been in years! Admitly not many places selling around here so that maybe why but i think most are waiting till the weekend. There was a few from the weekend onwards inc my self doing a few testers but thats all. Hope the weekend brings more into it!

Only one big show i know of on going this weekend where i live and not sure whom is doing it even!

[crystal palace fireworks]

Many garden displays started around 6.00pm till about 8.30pm where I am, after that it was pretty much dead!,.........I think many people will wait till friday & saturday (hopefully).

[Spyrotechnics]

Generally feeling this year is that it has been quieter, with less fireworks going off, than in the past. Rather than blaming blackpowder, or the economy, could it be that people simply are not buying fireworks because they are not impressed with what is on sale?

For sure, some businesses have brought in a lot of new fireworks- and these have been successful, it seems. Others have been inclined to basically stock the same stuff- often literally the same stock, as last year. Some supermarkets simply have not put any effort in. I just wonder if people have decided to give it a miss " ah, we did that last year" kind of thing. Or even if people were disappointed with the supermarket style stuff they bought last year, so avoided it.

95% of people buy fireworks once a year and can barely recall what they bought last year so I don't think they will be more/less impressed with whats on offer.

However sales have been slower than last year and there are lots of companies with larger levels of stock left than they anticipated, ourselves included

[David]

95% of people buy fireworks once a year and can barely recall what they bought last year so I don't think they will be more/less impressed with whats on offer.

Even if people can't recall the exact name or even brand, I know a few people (at work etc) who have said things like "Well, last year we got a load from (inert supermarket name here) and it was a bit boring, so this year we are just going to the communcal bonfire...

[MiniChris]

For me its the fact that alot of stuff supermarket and seasonal is such an unknown quantity. I got my main stuff yes but I also like to pick up odds and sods from everywhere and when the sellers have no clue what it does anything over a fiver seems too risky.

[Arthur Brown]

I think people expect too much from supermarket fireworks, I've just come in from an 8am start rigging for a show with about a £5K lives budget. 11 hrs to rig cakes and shells and about 20mins display. Yes it was spectacular with columns of 5" over 4" over 3" and huge amounts of time rain. Even the small cakes were 1.3 - Sadly you are not going to beat that with £50s worth.

I did however meet some of my street on the 5th having pure glee with a Lidl selection box Finished off with a 3in ball head rocket of mine!

The big problem is that everyone has seen a really big "Barge on the Thames" type show and is disappointed when their show for £50 doesnt match it

[David]

I think people expect too much from supermarket fireworks

Yeah, I think that is true- take a Standard selection box as an example- £20 for 25 fireworks Buy one get one free. Thats 50 individual fireworks works out at 40p each. The performance of each is going to be...... somewhat limited.



Perhaps last year people were buying stuff "Buy one get one free...." last year and saving the "free" one until this year!

[Arthur Brown]

Just think whether the £20 selection box is good value compared with a really small pro show at £2K for lives. I think most ARE good value. However I'd possibly prefer the intimacy of a close cat2 display rather than be 25 metres away from a cat3 micro fountain.

[Daedalus]

Just think whether the £20 selection box is good value compared with a really small pro show at £2K for lives. I think most ARE good value. However I'd possibly prefer the intimacy of a close cat2 display rather than be 25 metres away from a cat3 micro fountain.

Agreed there is a different feel to the home display compared to the pro shows. Last year a friend commented that my home show was better than some of the small pro shows he had seen (I only fired about £80 (probably about £110 at full retail)) - yet to see what this year is like as I have priced it at £130 and £220 at full retail and it has a couple of large bore items in it that I haven't seen fired yet. I think a lot depends on pace too - for me this equates to a 12 minute show, with a similar budget a lot of supermarket consumers will end up with box after box of tiny fountains and spend hours firing it all, get bored and give up on it next year and go to a pro show.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Yeah I agree with you both (Daedalus and Arthur), I love cat 2 up close too!, but I also think the quality and style of some fireworks is poor with less choice on types of fireworks you can use nowadays! (its become a bit boring unless you make your own), plus you see less back garden bonfires & parties than years ago!

[Bri]

plus you see less back garden bonfires & parties than years ago!

Wednesday Night was the busiest i've seen it around my way for a good few years. Lots of small garden fires scattered on the horizon and then the sky started to light up at about 5.45 then just kept getting more and more as the night went on.

Everyone seemed to stop firing theres at about 8:30, about the same time the build up to my finale was getting into stride and then one or two people started again at about 9:00 (they must of realised mine had finished lol) then it started gathering pace again til about 10:00 then suddenly everyone stopped.

Whilst watching other peoples i must admit that it just seemed to be a bit repetitive of what was going off as the same effects could be seen all over the sky one after another it was if someone let one off and everyone thought ooh think we've got one of them lets light it now to see if it is the same. Im sure one garden must of got a BOGOF deal on some cakes and instead of pairing them up they had 2 mini displays, one at 6 clock and another at 9:30. I was sitting there telling people what was going to happen next (Mystic Meg style) as i had seen the first one on my own

[Prestonboi]

Wednesday Night was the busiest i've seen it around my way for a good few years. Lots of small garden fires scattered on the horizon and then the sky started to light up at about 5.45 then just kept getting more and more as the night went on.

Everyone seemed to stop firing theres at about 8:30, about the same time the build up to my finale was getting into stride and then one or two people started again at about 9:00 (they must of realised mine had finished lol) then it started gathering pace again til about 10:00 then suddenly everyone stopped.

Whilst watching other peoples i must admit that it just seemed to be a bit repetitive of what was going off as the same effects could be seen all over the sky one after another it was if someone let one off and everyone thought ooh think we've got one of them lets light it now to see if it is the same. Im sure one garden must of got a BOGOF deal on some cakes and instead of pairing them up they had 2 mini displays, one at 6 clock and another at 9:30. I was sitting there telling people what was going to happen next (Mystic Meg style) as i had seen the first one on my own

LOL. It was just like that round here!!