Kicking off the bonfires with a banging start– viewers watch in awe as fireworks are let off at Horsenden Hill.
On Friday 3rd November, many locals were delighted by the extravagant fireworks which appeared in the skies of Greenford that evening. Many attended this event in the hope of starting the weekend of bonfire night with flying colours – and that’s exactly what they got.
Locals gazed from the top floor of their houses to be awestruck by the beauty of the fireworks filling the sky. However, some may have been slightly angered by the loudness of them, and the fact they were let off in a field surrounded by residential streets. This brings up one of the most debated issues by local people: should fireworks even be allowed?
Since the major decrease in bonfires due to health and safety hazards, people have been also questioning the overall safety of fireworks. However, people have argued in opposition to this as fireworks are a symbol of celebration, in this case celebrating history (the failure of the gunpowder plot), and should therefore be allowed.
Currently, you are allowed to let off fireworks at home, as long as you don’t do them until after 11pm, which many agree is reasonable. However, many people may complain as Diwali was on a weekday this year, meaning young people would have to go to school the next day, and may have had a disturbed sleep until 11pm.
People also believe that it’s better to go to firework displays as they are generally much better than fireworks at home, and they are usually in open spaces, much like the fireworks display in Horsenden Hill, which was free to attend.
Ultimately, the fireworks display in Horsenden Hill was a great way to kick off the weekend of fireworks, and brought many of the locals together as a community as a whole, and it was a huge success!
Jaiya Bhachu, William Perkin CofE High School
