Aylesbury Rugby Club fireworks cancelled forever after yobs smash bus window and set off bangers in the toilets

Aylesbury Rugby Club will no longer hold its popular yearly fireworks display, after antisocial behaviour and bureacratic restrictions made the event untenable.

A letter to Aylesbury Vale District Council explaining the decision cited a number of reasons, including antisocial behaviour at this year’s family event which left the club out of pocket.

This news will no doubt come as a great disappointment to the hundreds of families that attend the popular event every year.

The letter to the council, from club chairman Derek Spence read: “We have decided that we will not be running the event as a Public occasion again.

“The effort and hassle involved for minimal return has lead us to the conclusion that it is not worth running anymore.

“Costs have escalated in all areas and the bureaucracy and regulations around safety concerns (which we recognise as necessary) have become too onerous for a volunteer run event.

“Some of our suppliers and partners are less willing (in these constrained times) to contribute to; or to subsidise the event. And certainly, we were lucky with the weather this year. If the weather had been less kind, we would have lost money.

“In addition, the attitude and behaviour of some members of the public caused serious concern this year. You might know that a rock was thrown at a bus window and members of the public were showered with glass. The bus company (rightly) cancelled any further buses and the Rugby Club put on taxis for the remaining passengers at our own expense.

“Further, some idiots set some fireworks off inside the toilets. This could have caused serious injury or damage. We are not prepared to carry the risk of escalating vandalism and hooliganism.”

The letter added: “We haven’t come to this decision lightly – we know that this event has become a community occasion over the years. Unfortunately the changing legislative environment, the attitude of some of our partners and suppliers, the behaviour of some members of the public and the decreasing return have made this decision inevitable.

“Once again, thank you for all your help this year and in previous years. I would be very grateful if you could pass the message on to those people on the Council who should be advised of this decision. I know that AVDC have been supportive of the event over the years.”

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