John Culverhouse, managing director at Fantastic Firework, has spoken out against calls to ban loud fireworks saying that people “like the noise.”
His comments come after a St Albans Councillor has called for a noise limit on fireworks to protect animals.
Speaking to GB News, Culverhouse said: “We’re all sympathetic to loud, noisy fireworks, upsetting people. That’s the last thing we want to see.
“We do put on quiet fireworks. We get a lot of increasing demand for organisations saying, can we keep the noise down this year?
John Culverhouse hit back at the calls for quieter fireworks
GB News
“In our experience where you put on quiet fireworks, people say, oh, we didn’t like those. We like the bangs, we like the noise.
“It’s all part of the fun of Bonfire Night, the loud bangs. If you emasculate it down to 90dB, that’s the level of sound of a lawnmower it really is not going to work on Bonfire Night because it has been tried before.
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“We have put on quiet displays. And I had an email yesterday actually from an organization saying the kids didn’t like the noise, the quiet fireworks. We want the noise back next year.
“So you’ve got to be careful what you wish for because there’s one of the the leader of the Lib Dem, leader of Saint Albans Council, said if you put on a quiet fireworks display and people basically vote with their feet, all that’s going to happen is that a lot less money is going to be raised for local charities.
“And we’re talking about tens of thousands of pounds in Saint Albans. Incidentally, we’ve been doing this and St A firework display now for 35 years, and this is the first time this this issue has been raised.
“So for 35 years, we’ve had amazing displays in St Albans. And all of a sudden, the game’s changed and I don’t quite get that. But as I say, you’ve got to be careful what you wish for.”
Fireworks displays take place around November the 5th
PA
The calls for firework restrictions in St Albans were initiated by Labour Councillor Mark Hobday, who proposed limiting fireworks on council land to less than 90 decibels.
The RSPCA has backed Hobday’s proposals, while the annual St Albans Fireworks Spectacular has raised over £900,000 for charities in its 40-year history.
St Albans Liberal Democrat Council Leader Paul de Kort opposed the idea, warning of unintended consequences. De Kort suggested the ban could lead to reduced charity fundraising and more private firework events, potentially increasing disturbances to animals.
He stated: “Public displays which are organised, which are planned, which have set times and have controls, I would think are always better than fireworks going off in the street at random intervals.”
Culverhouse’s company has managed the display for 35 years
GB News
The St Albans Fireworks Spectacular, which Culverhouse’s company has managed for 35 years, has been a significant fundraiser for local charities.
Culverhouse explained: “It is an amazing event that’s enjoyed by a huge number of people.
“If those people stay away and they go home and they have fireworks in their back garden again, you’ve got the problem then of lots of fireworks all over the place, upsetting their neighbours, at least in St Albans it’s in a city centre setting and it works brilliantly.”