Fireworks Championships at Plymouth Hoe

The internationally renowned British Firework Championships are preparing to lift off again from Plymouth Hoe on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 August.

Now in their 14th year, the Championships are an integral part of the city’s annual events calendar and the Plymouth Summer Festival programme.

The Hoe is the perfect venue for the eagerly anticipated event, offering a spectacular vantage point for the displays. Tens of thousands of Plymouth residents and holiday makers will head there for two evenings of entertainment culminating in spectacular fireworks displays from six companies seeking the coveted title of British Firework Champions.

The companies showcasing their pyrotechnic prowess will be Essex Pyrotechnics from Saffron Walden, 1st Galaxy Fireworks from Nottingham and Reaction Fireworks from County Durham on the Tuesday night, followed by Flashpoint Fireworks from Surrey, SM Art Pyrotechnics from Salisbury and Star Fireworks from Bracknell in Berkshire on the Wednesday night.

Reaction Fireworks secured its place in the event after winning the Scottish Firework Championships at Strathclyde Park, near Glasgow, in November.

Entertainment will be starting from 6.30pm courtesy of Heart Devon, with live music, fairground rides and refreshment stalls. The first firework displays will start at around 9.30pm each evening as dusk falls.

Councillor Peter Brookshaw, Cabinet Member for Community Services said: "We are expecting the competitions to be hot this year as the teams have been busy specially designing their displays for the occasion. Plymouth is delighted to showcase such a fabulous annual event and we extend a warm welcome to all the competitors and spectators."

The multi-storey car park behind the National Marine Aquarium and the nearby Barbican lock gate will be open until 11pm. Most of the city centre car parks will be open until midnight, but with tens of thousands of people expected to attend the event, they are likely to be very busy and the Council is advising that members of the public use public transport and park and ride buses wherever possible.

Check here for train times and tickets to any railway station in Devon.

Staddon Heights Golf Club is providing some parking spaces at its club - for more details visit the Staddon Heights Golf Club website.

An extended parking area will be available on the Hoe promenade for blue badge holders, but spaces will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Access will be via the Elliott Street entrance to the Hoe promenade from 5.30pm. Madeira Road and Hoe Road will be closed on both days between 1 and 11pm with some no parking restrictions from 8am.

The toilets on the Hoe and the Barbican will be open on both evenings, as will those in West Hoe, Mount Batten and Jennycliff. There will also be extra toilets on the Hoe.

Special park and ride services are being provided especially for the event by First, who will be running regular buses from the George Junction, Milehouse and Coypool on both nights. Plymouth Argyle has a home match on the Tuesday evening so parking will be limited at Milehouse but buses will still stop there.

Buses will run into the city centre every 15 minutes, with the last inbound services leaving Coypool at 8.45pm and the George at 8.30pm (picking up at Milehouse at 8.45pm). After the fireworks there will be frequent buses leaving Royal Parade from 10.15pm onwards (stop A11 for Coypool and stop A12 for Milehouse and the George Junction).

Adults and children will pay £2.50 each from the George Junction and £2 from Milehouse and £1.50 from Coypool. Concessionary travel pass holders will be able to use these special services free of charge. For more information and timetables visit the First website or call First on 0845 600 1420 or Traveline on 0871 200 2233.

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