Londons 1 million up in smoke

[drawboy]

Just heard on the news that Londons firework display cost 1 million pounds. What a waste of money, it's flipping amazing that vat is going up, petrol is at it's highest price and we are all having to tighten our belts yet this government can waste 1 million in around 15 minutes. Leeds didn't have fireworks this year due to enforced council cuts, and unless you live in London I doubt your town or city had them also.
Unbelieveable. I'm no grumpy old man but how many nurses or police would that have paid for?

 

[GatesheadGolfer]

How do you know it wasn't sponsored?

Bah humbug!

 

[richart]

Do they not attract tens of thousands of people to the City, who presumably spend loads of money ? I know all my daughters friends seem to go up to see them, and it's not cheap to get there, and to buy food and drink when they are there. Presumably an accountant can work the figures to see if they are overall profitable for London. ?

They do look good on the telly, through a drunken haze.

 

[chrisd]

I think Rich is right.

My son has been up for the evening and there are many many thousands there so the London economy is boosted by much more than the fireworks costs, I would have thought.


Chris

 

[RGDave]

Odd you should mention this, as we wondered how much had been spent.
It's a lot of money to justify, but what would the alternative be? If there was no display, people wouldn't come in to the central area in such large numbers (spending cash) and surely it would seem depressingly dull to everyone who expects our capital city to hold "an event". Not doing it, in the interests of using the money to do something else could be more negative than positive.
Guessing it's paid for by the people of London, it's only 20p each or something.

 

[Oddsocks]

I was there last night and totally understand why London city done it. The designated viewing areas held 250 thousand people, with streets all around grid locked I'd estimate rough numbers of 500k plus. I reckon this event made money, why?

We paid to go in by train at £7.50 pet person
We stopped in bars to drink
All fast food outlets were jammed.

Yes they paid 1 million, but if 500,000 people spent on average 25-30 pounds each the business's and transport all made Money!

 

[Ethan]

Cheap at the price if you ask me ....

 

[brendy]

Value for money, I heard it was done for 313k as part of a deal in the run up to the olympics.
Saying that though, 9 minutes of fireworks, 5 could have done for less money and maybe thrown in a light show instead (not just the beams of the eye).

 

[Oddsocks]

I'm with Ethan, on average new years eve would cost me 150 fir mr at the misses to go to a night club, last night I saved over £100 and loads of small business's made money for their living too, and I will be back next year to watch the pretty colours!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Was an impressive display. In years gone by when I lived in London I've done Trafalgar Square and to be honest it was a waste of time. No alcohol permitted in the square or surrounding cordon, no entertainment and just loads of people milling about until midnight.

This way, they have music playing for the crowds a great firework display and there is more accessibility to bars etc beforehand. It has to make money. No government is going to want that hanging around as a political grenade in these tough times and I'm sure there will be plenty of corporate involvement somewhere

 

[BROOKIE]

we dont need anymore police or nurses,theres enough people
dying in cells and hospitals as it is in my opinion.

 

[Ethan]

we dont need anymore police or nurses,theres enough people
dying in cells and hospitals as it is in my opinion.

?????

Mmm. Looks like we need more psychiatric nurses

 

[Oddsocks]

So it threw you a bit too Ethan lol

 

[medwayjon]

we dont need anymore police or nurses,theres enough people
dying in cells and hospitals as it is in my opinion.

?????

Mmm. Looks like we need more psychiatric nurses

Is he trying to say that Police Officers kill their prisoners and that nurses kill patients.

Oh dear.

 

[surefire]

Some prisoners (I use the term loosely, as they're not completely locked up) actually had a firework display, down in Ford. It cost £3million and certainly wasn't sponsored.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Some prisoners (I use the term loosely, as they're not completely locked up) actually had a firework display, down in Ford. It cost £3million and certainly wasn't sponsored.

Yes, I've been watching that and I'm puzzled. Why would 'prisoners' (using the term very loosely) riot in an open prison?? They get weekends off, 100" plasma TVs, BlueRay players, PS3s, the internet and smoothies!!

Perhaps one of the wardens threatened to take 'prisoner' 2137's FIFA 2011 away from him and all hell broke lose!!

 

[bigslice]

Some prisoners (I use the term loosely, as they're not completely locked up) actually had a firework display, down in Ford. It cost £3million and certainly wasn't sponsored.

it was sponored by tesco(cheap vodka)