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Lewes Bonfire Night

i've been, going again this year, the h&s disclaimer is very valid so watch out, you need to be prepared for 'airflash' type fireworks to go off right next to you, wear ear plugs if necessary. It's the biggest load of fireworks going off everywhere all night in the UK to summarise.
 
i'd love to go to Lewes but we've never made it/and been put off by transport issues etc

The next village to us has a cracking display, they've been building the fire for weeks and it is the first year we have been in walking distance, so i fully intend to get drunk and bid way too much money at the pig auction and come home eating lots of pork.

http://www.brockhambonfire.com/
 
Id love to go to lewes but its on a monday this year :(

Ill be in london on saturday though...... it is however merstham beer festival, so I know what im doing friday night.
 
oryx said:
Is that ^ the John Harvey?

I'm working down that way next week and we've also got an open invitation from friends down there but I'm a bit cowardly about fireworks, if there are idiots about.
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That was in the Horns Lodge, Chailey so a 'fringe' bonfire society.

Lewes is pretty wild. The displays are very big/loud and there are several happening at once. What does tend to freak out the nervous peeps is the marches and things like the flaming tar barrel races.
 
sim667 said:
Id love to go to lewes but its on a monday this year :(

Ill be in london on saturday though...... it is however merstham beer festival, so I know what im doing friday night.
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Much better to go on a Monday or weekday if you can. It will be packed weeknights but the Friday/Saturday displays are really rammed.
 
Think it was 2001 when I first went. Thought it was always invitation only to avoid hoards of outsiders? They burned an effigy of Gordon Brown and I thought I might die in a cloud of toxic, cancerous, dense sulphuric smoke. Muddy as shit. Had to fight to get served at every bar.

Very Conservative, olde England worshiping bunch of fucking Morris dancing types in every pub complete with stupid beards and personal tankards. Anti everything that hasn't been familiar for the past 200 years stick in the mud atmosphere. Totally shit. I didn't accept the next invitation.
 
Stanley Edwards said:
Think it was 2001 when I first went. Thought it was always invitation only to avoid hoards of outsiders? They burned an effigy of Gordon Brown and I thought I might die in a cloud of toxic, cancerous, dense sulphuric smoke. Muddy as shit. Had to fight to get served at every bar.

Very Conservative, olde England worshiping bunch of fucking Morris dancing types in every pub complete with stupid beards and personal tankards. Anti everything that hasn't been familiar for the past 200 years stick in the mud atmosphere. Totally shit. I didn't accept the next invitation.
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The whole of Spain says roughly the same thing about you Stan :D
 
It stupidly crowded and as long as you avoid the inbreds lobbing crow/deer scarers intomthe crowd you should be ok.
 
I went to a smaller version in Littlehampton on Saturday night. I say smaller version, the bonfire was fucking massive. The procession was smaller though.
 
I've been on and off throughout my life and it has always been a great night. Took my kids for the first time last night and enjoyed it in a whole new way; their shock at watching a man with three lighted roman candles strapped to his back letting off a huge string of fire crackers in the middle of the High Street was a joy.

We were at the top of the town so watched Borough, Waterloo and Commercial Square process up and back down; the return trip being significantly more rowdy. Then it was up to the old race course for the Borough fire, bonfire prayers (inaudible speeches made by a man dressed as a bishop flanked by two priests being continually pelted with fireworks) and fireworks; the sight and sound flashing and echoing all over the town is wonderful.

Next year we'll go down to the war memorial and follow the Cliffe back to their fire for the full fat version.

Cheers - Louis MacNeice
 
Stanley Edwards said:
Think it was 2001 when I first went. Thought it was always invitation only to avoid hoards of outsiders? They burned an effigy of Gordon Brown and I thought I might die in a cloud of toxic, cancerous, dense sulphuric smoke. Muddy as shit. Had to fight to get served at every bar.

Very Conservative, olde England worshiping bunch of fucking Morris dancing types in every pub complete with stupid beards and personal tankards. Anti everything that hasn't been familiar for the past 200 years stick in the mud atmosphere. Totally shit. I didn't accept the next invitation.
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Lewes wept.

Cheers - Louis MacNeice
 
likesfish said:
It stupidly crowded and as long as you avoid the inbreds lobbing crow/deer scarers intomthe crowd you should be ok.
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Much calmer these days; there was a time when opening your window to watch the societies pass would have been rewarded with a rook scarer or jumping jack. Last night it was pretty much only society members (particulary the various masked smugglers) lobbing fireworks; when I was a kid everybody seemed to have some.

Cheers - Louis MacNeice
 
They cancelled Lindfield Fireworks - quite a big one not far from Lewes
Everything else happened, but H&S said due to the common being "waterlogged" it was a no-no
People would have come from all over, often with kids, only to find no fireworks, because all that was done was written blackboards in the village.
In the past we have often had the common in the same state, but no H&S problems.
Sorry to anyone who came :(
 
yardbird said:
They cancelled Lindfield Fireworks - quite a big one not far from Lewes
Everything else happened, but H&S said due to the common being "waterlogged" it was a no-no
People would have come from all over, often with kids, only to find no fireworks, because all that was done was written blackboards in the village.
In the past we have often had the common in the same state, but no H&S problems.
Sorry to anyone who came :(
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I got this email on the 04th of November:

All

I have had Wendy Box from Lindfield on the phone today. Unfortunately, due to the ground conditions on the Common, they have had to cancel their Bonfire and Firework display. But they are going ahead with their torchlit procession. I know that some may feel that this prospect might make the evening less enjoyable, but I feel at times like this they deserve our support even more.

Road closures are from 6.30pm, so I think that the usual meet-up at the Horns Lodge @5.00pm to organise our transport is in order.

Richie has the black banner with the new staff and harness for the Lewes trip. I have the white banner but we will need the staff and harness to carry it.

Hope to see many of you tomorrow
Regards
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Onket said:
How old are they?

My daughter is 2, I think maybe a bit young!
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My daughter's 12 and my son is 14; he went off with mates and came back a bit the worse for wear. I remember going aged 5 or 6. There were kids in buggies out last night (including in the procession), but it was a Monday (Fridays and Saturdays see much much bigger crowds) and we were up the top of the town in St Anne's graveyard; the bottom of the town is more crammed and livelier.

Cheers - Louis MacNeice
 
BBC Article

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-20210464

For most this is a once-a-year affair with a few fireworks and a bonfire. But bonfire societies around Sussex start celebrating at the beginning of September by wearing fancy dress and carrying burning torches. Among the costumes is drama. Controversy surrounds the burning of effigies of celebrities, perceived enemies and the Pope. One time Big Brother contestant and Borough Bonfire Society member Eugene Sully, along with the people of Firle Bonfire Society, explains why.
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The Metro says 82 injured & 9 arrests, including one for throwing a firework at police.
 
I saw a couple of Merkels getting burnt (I liked the escort of Greek riot police) and the Queen & corgis in the olympic cauldron. There was also a Neil Armstrong tribute "One last trip to the stars". Didn't see any Saviles but they did burn Bradley Wiggins.
Quite right too, cyclists are far worse than paedos. :p

Oh and how could I forget Michael Gove
 
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