Is Lewes Bonfire more trouble than it's worth? (From The Argus)

Is Lewes Bonfire more trouble than it's worth?

11:22am Thursday 5th November 2009

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Lewes Bonfire has become so popular that up to 50,000 people flock to the town each year from across the country to watch the parade and associated pyromania.

The event not only marks the date of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 but also the burning of 17 Protestant martyrs.

Since the 1850s, the Lewes bonfire societies have remembered the martyrdom of 1555 to 1557, known as the Marian Persecutions.

Mary Tudor, a Catholic and daughter of Henry VIII, came to the throne in 1553 and had 288 protestants burned for their heretical views – 17 in Lewes.

In recent years there has been an effort to cap the swelling numbers of people who visit the town each year and this year is no exception.

Both Sussex Police and the bonfire societies have been looking at ways to stop thousands of people getting into the town.

More roads are being closed and Southern is warning of large queues for trains to Lewes.

But is all this disruption and hassle really worth it? Would Lewes be better off without the bonfire? Businessman David Quinn is president of the Lewes Chamber of Commerce and certainly does not think so.

He said: “It brings in quite a lot of trade on the day and it’s great business for all the cafés and restaurants.

“Most of the shops are shut by 5pm and then people stay for the bonfire celebrations.

It’s quite a money spinner for the restaurants and cafés.

“Lewes Bonfire has been going on for so long that everybody’s geared up for it so it’s very good for people to be brought into the town.

It really puts Lewes on the map from a tourism point of view.”

He said the days around November 5 were also busier because of the number of visitors from across the country.

He said: “People are already here and you see them milling around in the High Street.

They are here for the week wandering around the town.

We’re all looking forward to it.”

Lewes MP Norman Baker said anyone from outside Lewes suggesting the bonfire should be scrapped should stay away from the town.

He said: “The word bonfire goes through the town as if it were a stick of rock.

It’s an integral part of the town.

“It certainly puts Lewes on the map.

It’s quite a small town which punches above its weight, be it taking on the brewery Greene King, introducing its own currency or the bonfire.

“People come to the town to look at the bonfire.

They look around, spend their money here and its good for morale.”

Roger Meyer, secretary of Lewes Bonfire Council, said the question of whether or not the annual celebrations were too much trouble was not worth answering.

Asked why the people of Lewes did the bonfire each year he said: “It’s very personal.

It’s like asking someone why they like reading or dancing or watching football matches.

It’s what people do.”

Mr Meyer said everything has been going well for a good night for “liberty and freedom”.

The societies were due to start work at 3am today making torches and final preparations.

Ruth O’Keefe, an East Sussex county councillor and member of Southover Bonfire Society, said the authorities were making more hassle for Lewes Bonfire with all the road closures.

She said: “Technically the bonfire celebrations sound very dangerous but the Lewes Bonfire Council has an immense amount of experience.

“It’s one of those examples where if you make something really rigidly enforced you make it more vulnerable.”

She said the regulations introduced this year could turn people off Lewes Bonfire and said: “It’s going to be interesting and possibly not in a good way.”

Any suggestions that Lewes Bonfire Night should be cancelled or stopped would, ironically, be labelled as heresy.

Seeing it is one of life’s most memorable experiences.

Don't miss The Argus for full coverage of tonight's Lewes Bonfire.

We will be producing a bumper eight-page picture special in tomorrow's paper.

We want your pictures of the event. To send us your pictures, email news@theargus.co.uk, text them to 80360, starting your message with SUPIC.

A picture gallery will be on the site from tomorrow morning.

A video report will also go up on our website as soon as the event is finished.

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