Revellers left blazing mad over ‘killjoy’ f irework ban
REVELLERS face being banned from buying fireworks by ‘killjoy’ councillors.
Midlothian Council has backed a clampdown on residents purchasing firecrackers in shops, claiming that they could cause ‘mayhem, panic and alarm’.
Labour representative Adam Montgomery – who proposed the idea – pointed to an incident in Paris where the noise of fireworks detonating was mistaken for gunfire by crowds at a vigil to mourn victims of last year’s terrorist attacks.
It led to people fleeing in scenes of ‘absolute mayhem’, which Mr Montgomery claims could be repeated in Scotland in ‘a matter of time’.
His motion has been supported by the council, which is now seeking approval from the Scottish Government to bring the ban into place for the 85,000 people who live in its area. Licensed displays would be unaffected.
However, the decision has been branded an ‘excessive backwards step’ by critics.
They say that it would spoil many families’ responsible enjoyment of firework displays.
Mr Montgomery justified his call for the crackdown, saying: ‘A couple of days after the tragic events in Paris a firework was set off in the street, causing mass panic and alarm. I can only imagine if one of these large devices were activated at an airport or railway station that mayhem would ensue.
‘Newbattle High School [in Dalkeith] was subjected to a lockdown in 2014 when explosions were heard near the school which turned out to be firework misuse, and this is a further example of why restricting sales should be progressed.’
He claimed that fireworks also caused problems for pets.
‘Four dogs went missing last year in Midlothian due to indiscriminate use of fireworks, with the resulting upset to owners,’ Mr Montgomery said.
‘There is quite simply no argument against sales being limited to licensed displays – this will allow people to continue to enjoy Bonfire Night in a safe environment. We will work with the police and fire services to have a viable sales system in operation to prevent random usage of what are now explosive devices, far removed from what were traditionally bangers and sparklers.’
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: ‘This would be an excessive move which discriminates against the vast majority of people who buy fireworks and use them responsibly.
‘There can’t possibly be any public demand for this. It would be a backwards step and spoil the enjoyment of that time of year for many families.’
Under the council’s move, the sale of fireworks would be limited to licence-holders only.
But independent councillor Peter de Vink predicted that any local people who wanted to buy fireworks would simply travel to nearby Edinburgh or East Lothian.
He said: ‘If the public are banned from buying fireworks in their own local authority area it’s likely they will just go somewhere else to buy them.
‘As usual the idea hasn’t been thought through.’
Gordon Henderson, senior development manager at the Federation of Small Businesses, has also warned that local shops would suffer as a result of a ban.
He added: ‘The automatic reaction is always to impose another form of regulation on businesses when what the council should be doing is educating those who are misusing the fireworks.
‘More regulations is not the solution.’
The Midlothian plans have now been sent to Holyrood to be considered.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: ‘Any bylaw proposed by the local authority would have to be agreed by Scottish ministers.’
‘Idea has not been thought through’