Fireworks companies in Ipswich, Lowestoft and Lakenheath hit out at Bonfire Night lockdown announcement
Fireworks companies across Suffolk have hit out at plans for a second lockdown which will see them lose out on their 'most important day of the year'.
Boris Johnson, the prime minister, announced on Saturday that England would go into lockdown on Thursday, November 5 - bonfire night in the UK - for a month.
But fireworks shop owners in Ipswich , Lowestoft and Lakenheath have said they were counting on this weekend to make up for their loss in earnings earlier in the year.
Wayne Drake, director of Lakenheath Fireworks Shop, said: "Bonfire night is a British tradition but we won't be able to be part of it this year as the lockdown will force us to close."
He added that, like many other businesses across the country, the impact of the lockdown could have disastrous effects on the company.
"When you think of it financially, we're just like everybody else in that we don't know if we'll be around next year," he said.
"The entertainment has been hit very hard this year. Usually November 5 is the day we are rushed off our feet and we'll be missing out on that."
David Fields, owner of Inferno Fireworks in Lowestoft, said: "This is the week we would usually see us make the most sales and so far they have been pretty poor.
"November 5 is the biggest day of the year as far as sales are concerned but now that we will be in lockdown, families and friends won't be able to meet to watch fireworks or have a party.
"It's just going to knock everything for us. We have spent a lot of money on getting stock ready to sell. It's absolutely devastating."
David added that he thought the Government had chosen to lockdown the country on Thursday to prevent families and friends gathering for fireworks parties.
"It's a shame that that's why is seems to have been done," he said.
"People need a bit of cheering up because everyone has been hit so badly this year and no one has had holidays or events or anything to look forward to.
"I just feel that had it been on the Friday, it would at least have given us the Thursday to make some sales. It would have given us a chance but we just don't have that now."
Nigel Claydon, director of Colchester's Dynamic Fireworks which owns The Firework Emporium in Ipswich, added that it was 'terrible' news for an industry which had already been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"There's a disparity as professional companies and specialised fireworks shops are having to close but supermarkets and garden centres can still sell fireworks," he said.
"That's frustrating as sales-wise we are down on where we wanted to be. Not only are we missing out on sales for home parties and things, but we would usually supply fireworks to schools and clubs for their own displays.
"We have lost all that this month and when you put that together with the fact that weddings and summer events we would usually have booked were all cancelled this year, it really does have a massive impact."
And there are fears that coronavirus restrictions could also hit the companies' sales in the new year as well.
"New Year's Eve is our second peak of the year and it has become really big over the last few years," said Nigel.
"There is great worry that New Year's Eve events will also be cancelled or that a lockdown will be in place and I'm not sure where that would leave us.
"Our hope was to get some sort of fireworks season which would help us out. It's the not knowing that's difficult but we're just going to have to wait and see."
The three companies are still able to take click and collect orders. For Lowestoft, call David on 07774713179, for Lakenheath call Wayne on 07594 858070, and for Dynamic Fireworks in Ipswich or Colchester visit here .
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