Lambeth council have announced the end of the Brockwell Park fireworks.
The council says that due to budget cuts it is no longer able to afford the annual display, despite the introduction of charging for entry last year.
Lambeth’s funding has been cut in half by central government cuts and says it “must carefully prioritise how it spends its money.”
However, the council says it will be keeping Lambeth Country Show going – and free.
Cllr Jane Edbrooke, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “The Government have cut our budget by more than 50% – forcing us to make more than £200m worth of cuts.
“We simply can’t afford to fund everything in the way we once did and so we have to prioritise the things our residents care about most.
“In terms of events, that is undoubtedly the Lambeth Country Show – one of the most popular events in the whole capital and a fixture in Lambeth’s calendar for over 40 years.
“The Country Show will remain; it will be free and will continue to offer the very best in family entertainment.
“Our commitment to the Country Show and the pressure on our budget means that we simply cannot afford to stage a fireworks event this year. Last year we had to charge people to attend the fireworks in Brockwell Park and still the event cost the council a significant amount of money.
“We feel that the resources we do have should be directed to providing a free event in the summer, open to everyone.”
Completely agree with Siobhan above – last year was pretty grim and felt wrong compared to the free events in previous years – and yes the Country Show is fantastic please leave that alone
After the dreadful event last year, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m pleased. It was overcrowded, dreadfully organised, unsafe and extremely unpleasant for children or, in fact, anyone who wasn’t pretty lagered up. If that was the future, then I think the Council SHOULD spend its money elsewhere – it was exclusionary in every sense, and badly executed to boot.
Given the choice, I’d much rather keep the Lambeth Country Show hands down!!
Agree with Tim entirely
I hope they leave the Council Tax unchanged for 2016 then.
Not that they are not raking it in from developers.
And after Splash “the morning after” it would appear that Lambeth Council doesn’t have much of a budget for street cleaners either.
It’s Tory voters like you that are to blame, Tim. Wake up.
I have never voted Tory in my entire life, “Slim”, now let me guess, judging from your alias are you heavily overweight or is it simply a badly programmed chip on your shoulder you are exhibiting?
If more people voted Tory, we would have a more efficient council that could maintain services while keeping council tax low. Wandsworth is only next-door.