Sparks fly over free fireworks (From Stroud News and Journal)

Sparks fly over free fireworks

FIREWORKS have been flying this week over an advertisement placed in a parish magazine inviting people to watch Ebley Fireworks free of charge from a pub.

Members of Stroud Round Table and the Rotary Club of Stroud were furious at the thought that a local publican should be profiting from the event which last year raised a record £16,000 for charities all over the Stroud Valleys.

The Carpenters Arms at Westrip last week took out an advertisement in the Randwick parish magazine The Randwick Runner.

The advert was headed "Firework Display Marling School, Monday 28th October," and went on: "Why not watch the display free from The Carpenters Arms. This year there will be burgers, hotdogs and jacket pots for sale plus FREE sparklers for the kids and weather permitting a bonfire to keep warm."

Ebley Fireworks committee member Graham Furley, who is a member of both the Round Table and Rotary, which jointly run the annual event, was horrified when he saw the advertisement.

"We spend about £8,000 a year planning and organising the firework display and hundreds of hours of work but it is worth it because all the profits go to charity," he said.

"The insurance alone is £1,000 and this year we are spending £5,500 on the fireworks. I was furious to think that someone would line their own pockets at the expense of local charities. It is disgraceful."

Paul Platt, who runs the Carpenters Arms with his wife Jackie, stressed on Monday that they were not trying to deprive charities.

"Last year we had only been at the pub for two months and we went out on that Monday leaving just one young girl behind the bar," he explained. "When we came back our car park was full and the bar was absolutely packed.

"Apparently people come up here every year for a good view of the fireworks but we had no idea and were not at all prepared. It was so embarrassing."

This year, he said, he and his wife were determined that they would be ready for the onslaught.

"We are not trying to compete with the fireworks committee and we certainly had no intention of trying to grab their business. We just thought we would provide a service for the people who turned up."

He added that he would be passing round a bucket for donations and if a member of the committee came to the pub the next day he would be very pleased to hand over the proceeds.