Fireworks to be banned for 10 days in November in part of Glasgow after disorder

Fireworks will be banned in an area of Glasgow’s southside for 10 days every year, including Bonfire Night, following its designation as the city’s first Firework Control Zone (FCZ).

Pollokshields, with an estimated population of 12,000 people, has been given the designation following approval by a review panel comprising councillors, police and fire service officials.

The area has previously seen the most serious kind of firework-related anti-social behaviour in recent years, including a riot on November 5 2018.

New government legislation has given local authorities the powers to designate FCZs, which will be enforced by Police Scotland.

The ban, which covers both public and private spaces such as gardens, will run from November 1 to November 10 each year. Only the use of sparklers will be permitted during this time.

A six-week long public consultation is also being held starting tomorrow on setting up a city-wide control zone in the future.

The panel reviewed 13 applications for FCZs – four of which related to locations in Pollokshields – before reaching its decision.

Elaine McSporran, Glasgow City Council’s firework safety champion, said: “Pollokshields has been the scene of some terrible firework-related antisocial behaviour in previous years.

“A new multi-agency approach has improved the situation recently, but it is still not where we want it to be.

“We hope the FCZ will support the hard work already being undertaken by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), Police Scotland and the council in the city.

“We have had great support with this process within our communities. Glasgow is testing the new legislation in the hope that it will bring some relief to Pollokshields residents.

“I’m also pleased that the public will be able to have their say on the creation of a citywide FCZ from tomorrow.”

SFRS Group Commander Craig Campbell, who is based in Glasgow, said: “Bonfire Night is one of the busiest nights of the year for our crews and we will continue to work tirelessly to reduce anti-social behaviour in the run-up to and during the event.

“As part of this work over the coming weeks across the city of Glasgow, our staff will visit young people in schools to talk to them directly about the dangers of the misuse of fireworks.”