STATEMENT REGARDING GREAT WYRLEY BONFIRE EVENT
The Parish Council would like to provide an explanation regarding the decision to no longer stage Great Wyrley Bonfire event.
Following advice from Staffordshire Police, the Parish Council was informed that the event had grown to such proportions that it was considered both unmanageable and unsafe to continue. The Police also advised that they were no longer in a position to provide essential support services, including traffic management, crowd control, and general security.
Over several years, the Parish Council made every effort to address these issues. Measures included hiring private security, implementing its own traffic management plan, and limiting fairground attractions to small children’s rides only. The Council also attempted to manage unauthorised sellers around the event perimeter, but this proved impossible. Unfortunately, despite all these efforts, the safety concerns raised by Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service remained unresolved.
In addition, the event caused significant congestion throughout the village, resulting in gridlock before, during, and after the evening. This raised further safety concerns, particularly regarding emergency access for local residents.
Many residents have commented that Great Wyrley Bonfire became a victim of its own success, attracting thousands of visitors from outside the area due to its popularity and the fact that it was free to attend. On one occasion, Staffordshire Police recorded over 5,000 attendees, a number that simply exceeded the event’s safe capacity.
Please be assured that the decision to discontinue the event was not taken lightly. The Parish Council explored every possible alternative, including introducing an entry fee. However, given the number of unofficial access points and the open nature of the site, it was not feasible to secure the area safely. Charging for entry would also likely have led to increased congestion around the perimeter as people gathered outside to watch.
The Council recognises that this decision was a disappointment to many residents who have supported and enjoyed the Bonfire for so many years. In response, the Parish Council chose to invest in Christmas lights along the A34 so that the community could continue to enjoy a festive celebration together.
Ultimately, the safety of the public had to remain the Council’s highest priority. Ignoring the professional advice of Staffordshire Police would have been irresponsible. The decision to end the Bonfire event was never about money, it was about ensuring the saftey and wellbeing of our residents and visitors.