Iaphet Elli 
London’s
hugely popular and internationally acclaimed New Year’s Eve fireworks
celebrations, organised by the Mayor of London, have become so successful that
the organisers have taken the decision to ticket the event in order to reduce
the number of people attending.This
year 100,000 tickets will be available to the public, which will guarantee good
views of the fantastic pyrotechnic display and a better visitor experience.
People, from anywhere in the UK or abroad, will be able to book up to four
tickets from Friday 26 September at 12 noon (UK time), by going to london.gov.uk/nye.
Introducing
tickets to popular events, similar to the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations, is a
recognised way of controlling crowd numbers and not a penny of profit will be
made from the £10 fee, which will be used to pay for administration costs and
ensuring the event is safe.
The
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks are
phenomenally popular, not just in the capital, but across the world and we want
to ensure it continues to be a safe, enjoyable and sustainable event for the
long-term. After consulting with our partners, we are introducing ticketing to
help manage crowd numbers and create a better experience on the night. For
anyone without a ticket the fireworks are again being shown live and in full on
television, meaning you can watch it in glorious HD colour without missing a
single second. And don’t forget, there are hundreds of other New Year’s Eve
celebrations to enjoy in bars, restaurants and clubs across the
capital.’
London
is a special place at the turn of the year, the city is lit up and there is a
sense of optimism for the year ahead. If you can’t get a ticket to attend the
fireworks there are many other amazing events and experiences to enjoy, so long
as visitors plan ahead and book in advance.
The
capital’s amazing night life is world famous and there are a multitude of ways
to celebrate as establishments all over the city will be pulling out all the
stops to make New Year’s Eve 2014 one of the most memorable ever. London offers
the best dining experiences in the world from top class fare at one of the
city’s Michelin
starred
restaurants, treating someone special to a romantic
supper
or taking an unforgettable dinner
cruise
down the Thames.
Many
London pubs and gastro pubs will be staying open past midnight and top comedy
clubs and West End theatres will be putting on great performances. London is
also one of the clubbing capitals of Europe and there will be a whole host of
specially organised club nights in unique locations around the city or top DJ
sets at one of these well-known nightclubs.
Families
can also have a great time by taking the children to an afternoon matinee or
enjoying skating on the many ice rinks around the capital. While some might
still be in bed, the New
Year’s Day Parade
provides a stunning start to the New Year with marching bands, acrobats,
cheerleaders and entertainers.
Julie
Chappell, Director of VisitLondon.com,
said: “London is the best city in the world to see in the New Year because it
offers something for everyone. The city’s night-life is so vibrant and diverse
that there are so many other events and attractions leaving visitors spoilt for
choice. Our advice is to plan ahead to come and enjoy the best pubs, clubs,
comedy, restaurants and theatre that can be found anywhere. Once you’ve had a
night to remember on New Year’s Eve come back and enjoy the New Year’s Day
Parade which is free for everybody.”
Since
the fireworks were first staged at the London Eye in 2003, the numbers of people
wanting to see them have grown from an estimated 100,000 in the first year to
400,000 in 2012 and 500,000 in 2013.
The
prime viewing areas have a capacity of 100,000 people, which means the majority
of people wanting to watch the display do not get the best view, or are unable
to access the areas altogether. The huge crowds also mean long delays leaving
the area at the end of the event as revellers make their way to Tube, rail and
other public transport services.
For
more information about what’s going on in London on New Year’s Eve, click
here.
london.gov.uk/nye.