On Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:10:08 +0100, Mike put finger to keyboard and
typed:

Bert wrote:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/fireworks/public.htm

"It is an offence to let fireworks off between 11pm and 7am, except on
Bonfire Night (midnight), Diwali, New Year, and Chinese New Year (1am)."

Strange that only one extra hour is allowed for Bonfire Night (the
British traditional night for fireworks) but two extra hours are
allowed for 2 foreign* celebrations and New Year's celebrations: where
fireworks have only become popular relatively recently.

Since both the Chinese and Western New Years begin at midnight it be
rather pointless making midnight itself the cutoff point for
permissible fireworks! Diwali Day itself (the only day in the Diwali
period when late-night fireworks are permitted) is the night of the
new moon and fireworks are traditionally let off at the darkest time
of the night - eg, midnight. So, again, it needs an extension beyond
midnight to be worthwhile. On Bonfire Night, on the other hand,
fireworks displays are usually earlier in the evening and hence a
longer extension isn't needed.

As to why Diwali and Chinese New Year get extensions, but other
"foreign" festivals don't, I suspect that it's partly to do with the
fact that other firewoks-based events don't usually happen at midnight
and partly because these two were already established as
fireworks-based events in the UK before the regulations came into
force. CNY and Diwali have both, to some extent, gained popularity
outside their respective ethnic bases and have a more general appeal.

Mark
--
Blog: http://mark.goodge.co.uk Photos: http://www.goodge.co.uk
"Shake off your golden shackles, children of time no more"