Before the sparks fly on Bonfire Night, June Pennykid at Keegan & Pennykid talks through some of the logistics associated with holding an event and the insurance cover you’ll need before you go ahead.
If you’re planning to hold a Bonfire Night event in the coming weeks or considering a similar event in the future, here are some things to think about before a match is struck.
This year marks the 419th anniversary of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, when Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators tried to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament on 5th November. Their bid to assassinate King James VI of Scotland and I of England failed and each year since then, the country has celebrated the plot’s discovery.
Local council permission
If you’re holding a Bonfire Night event, your first port of call should be the local council. They’ll have specific rules and guidelines about what constitutes a public event and what health and safety measures you must put in place.
For example, the City of Edinburgh Council stipulates that anyone wishing to put on a firework display needs to secure a fireworks display licence. Such events can only be put on at certain times as the council states: “In general, fireworks displays may not be held between 11pm and 7am. On Bonfire Night, Hogmanay, and the first days of the Chinese New Year and Diwali, there are limited extensions to these times. You can apply for a ‘dispensation’ to allow a fireworks display during the restricted time.”
The standard conditions attached to hosting such an event run to more than 30 individual points. They cover issues such as staffing requirements, the instructions and training people should receive, the appropriateness of the venue for the event and the use of outdoor lighting and public address systems.
They also highlight the need to name a point of contact for the event and to ensure the Police, the Fire Brigade and council representatives have access to the venue at any time. The Health and Safety Executive also has detailed guidance that will help you plan your event. This includes pointers such as:
- Who will operate the display?
- Is the site suitable for your display, including a bonfire if you’re having one?
- Is there space for the fireworks to land well away from spectators?
- What’s the direction of the prevailing wind? What would happen if it changed?
- Do you have a suitable place to store the fireworks?
- How will people get in and out of the site? Pedestrian and vehicle routes should be kept apart if possible.
- How will you signpost first aid facilities as well as entry and exit points?
There is a lot to cover off, but mostly it is simple good practice and should be relatively straightforward to implement effectively.
Event insurance
Your next call should be to your insurance broker. Your standard insurance programme is unlikely to provide cover for the risks associated with putting on a fireworks display, although it may be possible to add this extra cover on to your existing policy for an additional premium.
To ensure you get the correct insurance, you’ll need to have details of where and when your event is taking place, the number of people attending and the activities you’re planning. For example, is it a small bonfire for 50 people or a bigger event for thousands with a large firework display and a range of food and drink vendors?
Will you be selling tickets or have merchandise on sale at the event? How many volunteers will be manning the event, and will there be other entertainment, such as live music?
Understanding these factors will enable your broker to calculate the appropriate level and scope of cover required. In most cases, policies can be purchased in a short timeframe – hours or days rather than weeks – assuming you have all the information to hand. Insurers are likely to ask to see your risk assessment documentation so it’s worth having this prepared before speaking to your broker.
If you have a busy schedule of events throughout the year, you might want to consider an annual policy that provides cover for all of them. But in most cases, it’s likely that a standalone policy for your bonfire event will be the most appropriate. Again, your broker will advise you on the most suitable approach.
There’s always lots of excitement around Guy Fawkes Night and making sure you’ve got the proper plans in place will ensure your event takes place as safely as possible and provides yourself and your fellow organisers with maximum peace of mind.
If you would like more information, please get in touch with the team at Keegan & Pennykid We’ll help ensure things go with a bang, rather than fizzling out like a damp squib.
