Edinburgh Council could consult residents on a citywide fireworks ban for bonfire night in 2025.
The decision comes off the back of 2024’s bonfire night, where four fireworks control zones were introduced to help reduce their use in parts of the city where they cause significant disturbance.
Councillors could back an eight week consultation on a citywide fireworks control zone. The implementation of such a ban however would will depend on several factors, including the consent of Scottish Government ministers and the level of support recorded in the consultation.
A similar exercise held last year saw 770 people respond to a consultation on a citywide control zone – with 663 in favour.
The consultation this year would also include consideration of smaller control zones in Niddrie, Broomhouse/Sighthill and Gracemount/Moredun.
Groups of residents would also be able to submit requests for new fireworks control zones to be included in the consultation.
Te effectiveness of the fireworks control zones in the city last year has also been outlined to councillors.
On Calton Hill, the scheme appears to have been successful, where the Calton Hill Conservation Trust estimates between 80% and 90% less fireworks were used versus last year based on the amount of debris found on site.
However, in Niddrie, the report said it was hard to determine the effectiveness of the control zone due to the ‘significant antisocial disorder’ which took place.
Despite this, the report says that the number of professional-grade fireworks used in the city, which can be dangerous to handle without training, reduced.
The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said that the Balerno fireworks control zone lessened stress for animals in their care.
No information was provided about the effectiveness of the control zone in Seafield.
The report also noted that some alternative events hosted by the council on bonfire night in 2024 were well-received by locals, including a family bonfire event in Craigmillar that was attended by 600 people.
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
