While there may have been grumblings about crowd control at one of London’s biggest free fireworks display, there is not doubt the fireworks at Brockwell Park were utterly enchanting.
You can read our full report of the four seasons Brixton fireworks, with more pictures and video here.
Photographer Jeannine Mansell was there too, and sent us these wonderful picture of the people and the pyrotechnics which lit up a corner of south London last night. All pictures below by Jeannine jeanninemansellphotography.com
All pictures above by Jeannine jeanninemansellphotography.com. Send you pics to us at newsdesk@brixtonblog.com or on Twitter @Brixtonblog
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Summed up in one sentence….”Lomdon used to be a proper community.” Go and look at the state of the park today, it looks like a ploughed field, who on earth do you think is going to pay for that? …yep Lambeth council tax payers.That is for real……man!
Whilst the firework display held by Lambeth Council are spectacular, the vast crowds on the streets down Tulse Hill and Effra Road after the event raises some important points. In my 16 years as a Lambeth resident I have never seen such large crowds after the display, this in part could be that there are no longer other displays within the Borough, such as at Clapham and Streatham. Brockwell Park is used to large gatherings, the Country Show is an example but can it really cope with such hugh crowds such as this in the space of afew hours? There were probably many people from outside Lambeth at this show yesterday yet it is paid for out of Lambeth Council tax payers money. That is because many London Councils do not offer free displays or any display at all. It should remain free but only for those who have photograpic ID on them along with a Lambeth address as well. Those from outside Lambeth should be expected to pay a small fee. This could be done in advance payments of tickets. One other point is that this morning large areas of grass within the Park have been reduced to nothing more than mud, there is no grass left it has been destroyed. This is a combination of the wet weather and the amount of people in the park, which is why I mentioned earlier if the park can cope with this amount of people in afew hours.
Are you for real? People from outside Lambeth have been attending the fireworks at Clapham Common, Brockwell Park and Streatham Common for years. Do you think our local communities end at the borders of the borough? Come off it!
London used to be a proper community, and attending events across the city including Guy Fawkes Night fireworks displays was part of that.
There are fireworks displays at Battersea Park, Crystal Palace, Wimbledon etc. which are attended by people from surrounding boroughs. The cost is spread around, one way or another.
Just ignoring the fact that charging people to enter a public park for a community event would be impractical and vastly costly for a second. Are you suggesting somebody who lives on the Lambeth side of Turney Road should get into the Brockwell Park fireworks for free while those living on Turney Road, just across the other side of Croxted Road in Southwark should have to pay?
And those on Half Moon Lane or the wrong side of Herne Hill should have to pay for an event on their doorstep?
Or somebody on Nightingale Lane or Clapham Common North side being charged to attend an event on the Common (“common land”) which is on their very doorstep?
Come on, man! Sort yourself out! These are community events, not exclusive members-only events!
What about those Lambeth residents who owe the Borough money e.g. arrears on their social housing rent or Council Tax, parking and library fees? Should they be allowed to enter the park and watch the display when they haven’t paid their dues and are sponging off the rest of the Lambeth population?! Some of the commentators on this blog are seriously deluded and ignorant on a) how the UK Public Sector is funded b) the statutory obligations on the different parts of the Public Sector and c) the cost of meeting these. Council Tax would be better prioritized on real needs not firework displays.