On 9 Jul 2017 at 7:17pm David wrote:
Great event again, lots of rafts and of course great weather. How about combining the Lewes motor/bus show, which needed some more numbers on 4th June, with this event which doesn't use most of the field space? It would make both events better and of more interest to the various food vendors and other stalls that would turn up.
On 9 Jul 2017 at 7:22pm Interested wrote:
Who won the bonfire dash ?
On 9 Jul 2017 at 8:10pm Diversity Den wrote:
Why don't we combine it with the inaugural Lewes Gay Day.
Pride type march around the town followed by gay festival at making rec.
On 9 Jul 2017 at 8:33pm Baglady wrote:
Very good day. Lots of effort put in by all. Well done. Good to see the river being used, but where I was watching (down steam) lots of plastic bags full of flour floating past. Good event, but not really good for the river. Maybe people could think about using paper bags rather then plastic.
On 9 Jul 2017 at 8:54pm Dan wrote:
Great Weather, The Rafts are amazing, very well organised, and great day out. The only improvement in my opinion is perhaps after the raft racing a party in the park with live bands or a prom in the afternoon.
On 9 Jul 2017 at 9:10pm Old Malling wrote:
A great day out again. You're right David, combining it with the bus show or another event could be good. It was good to see so many people stick around and enjoy the river bank after it had finished.
On 9 Jul 2017 at 11:07pm KENDO CASTER wrote:
I agree with combining it with another event, and if Harveys had a beer tent or Marque set up, they would of made a killing.
On 9 Jul 2017 at 11:14pm Cas wrote:
Where can we see the results
On 9 Jul 2017 at 11:17pm lewes man wrote:
the cliffe won this year . it was a great day well done to all
On 9 Jul 2017 at 11:25pm Adele wrote:
Why move merge it with the moving on parade, save clogging up the entire town on a Friday afternoon !!
On 9 Jul 2017 at 11:26pm Jeff wrote:
Lewes won the gig rowing race too but only by 4 inches. A really thrilling finish.
On 10 Jul 2017 at 9:34am Borough Member wrote:
My husband's egg hit Cliffe! We loved it. It felt like everyone who came owned the event. We brought prosecco and some sandwiches, sat on a blanket, and really had a party. I work in a sandwich shop and felt really sorry for the people in the tents selling food on such a hot day. They just weren't needed. Did the council bring them along? They weren't local.
On 10 Jul 2017 at 10:47am Jeff wrote:
Some absolute idiot threw a firework at one of the (non bonfire) rafts from around the Phoenix bridge.
One of the Southern Rail raft crew members was taken to hospital and is being operated on today. This is a very serious matter and could endanger Ouseday as a whole. If anyone knows anything about this the Ouseday organisers would like to hear from you.
Check it out here »
On 10 Jul 2017 at 1:25pm Stanley wrote:
Why is it nothing in Lewes can occur without some buffoon letting off fireworks? Even the opening of an envelope in town requires a fool with a hooped Guernsey and a selection of fireworks, grow up......
On 10 Jul 2017 at 1:36pm I heard .… wrote:
Known Cliffe members were seen in the vicinity with rookies moments before the terrible event
On 10 Jul 2017 at 2:10pm Well..... wrote:
Name and shame!
On 10 Jul 2017 at 4:57pm Jeff wrote:
It turns out the firework was thrown about 100yds up river from the Phoenix bridge so nearer Tescos. If anyone knows anything about it it needs to be dealt with.
We can't have it happening again
On 10 Jul 2017 at 6:10pm Halbot wrote:
Excellent day, but agree the pollution in the river, and therefore the sea, is terrible. Water bombs and plastic bags not good for the environment, this needs to be addressed somehow next year.
On 10 Jul 2017 at 8:43pm Guido wrote:
Please get your facts right before spouting off. They guys on the boat say the firework came off of the banks to their left and not from the bridge!
On 10 Jul 2017 at 8:53pm Stanley wrote:
Which obviously makes it perfectly acceptable?!
On 10 Jul 2017 at 9:52pm Crew member wrote:
Stanley of course it's not acceptable same as throwing bags of dog sh#t and tipping bottles of p#ss on us . Where were the marshells ? I will never do the raft race it's not fun anymore
On 10 Jul 2017 at 10:16pm Adele wrote:
Isn't Lewes a nice town !
On 10 Jul 2017 at 11:43pm Guy wrote:
Yet another incident leading to a serious injury due to the uncontrolled use of fireworks.
Absolutely indefensible.
On 11 Jul 2017 at 7:44am Hooped jumper wrote:
Think one of the points was it was a member of the public not from bonfire crews . As it so often is on the 5th
On 11 Jul 2017 at 8:31am Get teal wrote:
Everyone is a member of the public you clown.
Just because you're in a carnival club doesn't make you otherwise
On 11 Jul 2017 at 9:14am for the many not the few wrote:
So it looks like it was a great day for most people but not for this unfortunate guy on the southern rail raft....
There were lots of people around that area . Surely someone has some information about what happened and who was responsible. I saw lots of marshalls on the day but they cant watch everyone ALL the time. One persons reckless action could jeopardise the future of the event
On 11 Jul 2017 at 10:43am Guido wrote:
@stanley! Did I say it was acceptable? It was purely so people who were there have a better idea. No point in telling people it came off of the bridge and asking people did they see anything when it didn't come from there! Someone knows who did this or saw it happen. This info must be passed on to the relevant people.
On 11 Jul 2017 at 11:00am Hang On wrote:
"Known Cliffe members were seen in the vicinity" ?? really?
Known members of ALL societies are seen ALL OVER the place. Cheap attempt to blame the Cliffe. Nothing changes.
On 11 Jul 2017 at 11:24am for the many not the few wrote:
Lets stop aimlessly blaming rivals and just get to the bottom of this issue
On 11 Jul 2017 at 12:54pm About Time wrote:
Surely it's now time for personal possession of fireworks to become illegal? They should be licensed for display only thereby keeping them out of the hands of puerile idiots who think it's big and clever to discharge them in public. Every year brings more idiots maiming innocent bystanders through their arrogant stupid views that because it's always happened its tradition and it's their right to hurt and injure others, often in life changing ways.
On 11 Jul 2017 at 4:42pm Another hooped jumper wrote:
@ about time
Despite your implications, the majority of injuries are not inflicted by fireworks discharged by members of the Bonfire societies, but by members of the attending public, often drunk, who don't know how to act in a responsible manner.
Most (if not all) society members should know that dropping fireworks in public is illegal, and most societies have a clearly understood "no drop down" policy, which a few members may choose to ignore, albeit at their own risk. Societies will appoint Marshals who have a duty to ensure the safety, first and foremost of the public, and secondly of all other Society Members. I have seen marshals remove bags of rookies from onlookers in the watching crowds, with the Police happy to support that type of action by Marshals, as they know the the Society will ensure the fireworks are used safely and responsibly, unlike the person on whom they were first found.
Those society members that do ignore the 'no drop down' rule should drop fireworks inside the procession ranks, or place their boot over the lit firework, so as to contain/deflect the debris, so that the chances of injuring bystanders is minimal. They will also be aware that if they do not do so, their society marshals, or even the police, may take action against them.
So, it is rarely those who wish to uphold the Bonfire "tradition" that cause the injuries to non-members, it is most often those 'idiots' not associated with Societies, and are often from outside the local area too, who behave irresponsibly.
I am not saying Society members never, ever, behave irresponsibly - any group of people always has a few who think they need not follow the rules, but I am saying the vast majority of responsible Bonfire Society members do all they can to ensure their activities do not put bystanders at risk.
So far as I recall, given the number of people in Lewes on most Bonfire Nights, and the numbers of people in the many Societies' processions, the number of "life changing" or "maiming" injuries in Lewes over the last five or six years is far below the level your comments imply. And, with few exceptions, those people that were injured were usually marching in the processions, or standing in the 'members areas' at firesites, and everyone marching, or entering members areas will have been made aware that they do so at their own risk.
The vast majority of "incidents", injuries and arrests on most Bonfire nights in Lewes tend to be drink- or drug-related, rather than firework-related, and few of the firework injuries stem from the activities of the societies - that is why the Police tend to leave the most societies to "police" their own ranks, and only rarely feel the need to step in.
So, I suggest that your comments regarding "idiots maiming innocent bystanders" and "life changing" injuries are a little over the top. Yes, accidents can happen, and yes, idiots will behave irresponsibly, but very rarely are those "idiots" members of Bonfire Societies, as most societies would not want "idiots" in their ranks, they, and Lewes Bonfire as a whole, have too much to lose if such "idiots" "maim" innocent bystanders with the frequency your comment implies.
That said, whomever threw the firework that injured the rafter should be identified, and then be subject to suitable investigation and, if appropriate, to prosecution. Injuring someone by throwing a lit firework in public is, in my mind, no different to injuring them by dangerous driving, or by stabbing them with a blade. There is no place for that type of irresponsible behaviour in Lewes, whether they are a Bonfire Society member or not. If they are found to be a member of one of the Sussex Bonfire Societies I would hope their Society would bar them from future membership for life, and that all other Societies would do likewise too.
Rather than an outright ban personal possession of fireworks, maybe a tighter degree of control at the point of sale/purchase might be a good start - local retailers should think twice, and/or ask few questions as to what the proposed use for the fireworks is, and then remind the customer of their legal responsibilities, before selling them a box of fireworks (whether pretty garden display fireworks, or noisy rookies?
On 12 Jul 2017 at 8:04pm 1st hooped jumper wrote:
Think that's what I said lol. Nice post AHJ
On 13 Jul 2017 at 1:32pm Marshal Law wrote:
It was a marshal from the Cliffe who performed initial first aid on the poor guy who got injured, most of the Rotary Club marshals appear to have been a bit busy drinking beer outside the Dorset at the time...