- Tickets for the New Year's Eve fireworks go live next Friday 21 October at 12 noon
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has personally scrutinised plans for this New Year’s Eve fireworks display to ensure safety and security are the top priorities, and to make the acclaimed event the most exciting yet.
Ahead of tickets being released to the public next Friday, Sadiq Khan has examined the ticketing scheme and security measures and has taken the advice of experts to make sure the event brings value to Londoners and visitors to the capital and puts safety at the forefront of the celebrations. The Mayor’s team is working in consultation with partner agencies including the Met Police, emergency services and boroughs, who are agreed that ticketing continues to be the best way to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all.
In previous years, without ticketing, the event was hugely oversubscribed, with very large crowds lining the banks of the Thames and the numbers heading into central London for the display growing significantly each year. This put enormous strain on transport, infrastructure and the ability of emergency services to move around.
The aim of ticketing is to help ensure the long term sustainability of the fireworks as a safe, enjoyable event. Since ticketing was introduced in 2014, the numbers who attempted to see the fireworks but were unable to do so have reduced. As well as being enjoyed by spectators in the viewing areas, the globally-renowned display is watched by over 15 million broadcast viewers on TV and helps to promote London around the world.
Approximately 110,000 revellers are expected to gather in the viewing areas for the hugely popular pyrotechnic and lighting display, which is focused around the Coca Cola London Eye.
To open the event to more people in London and around the world, the Mayor is looking at ways for everyone to get involved in the celebrations at home. A range of ideas, including 360 degree viewing technology, are being explored with partners and more details will be announced in due course. For those without a ticket, the event can be watched on BBC One and there are also hundreds of other opportunities to bring in 2016 in style at bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs across the capital.
The Mayor will use the highly-anticipated event to bring people together and show the world that London is open to everyone, now and in the future.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London is the best place in the world to see in the New Year and every year thousands of people watch the spectacular fireworks display on the banks of the Thames. My number one priority is the safety of Londoners and visitors to the capital and I want everyone to be able to enjoy this fantastic event in a way that is fun and secure. I have taken the advice of experts including the police and emergency services and am assured that ticketing is the best way to keep revellers safe on the night. I want everyone to be able to fully immerse themselves in the display and will be looking at ways to get people at home and around the world involved, so everyone has a great view of the London fireworks.”
People wanting to guarantee a view and entry for this year's celebrations will be able to book up to four tickets from midday on Friday 21 October by visiting www.london.gov.uk/nye. Each ticket is £10 – the same price as 2014, when ticketing was first introduced - with every penny being used to pay for the costs associated with the ticketing scheme.
For updates and information about how to book tickets go to www.london.gov.uk/nye.
Notes to editors
Media enquiries and accreditation
Media accreditation
Photographers, broadcasters and members of the media looking to cover the New Year's Eve fireworks display need official accreditation from the Mayor of London's Press Office. Please complete this form by Friday 2 December for your accreditation request to be considered. Note that you must be able to provide an official NUJ ID card.
Notes to editors:
1. Since first being staged at the Coca-Cola London Eye on the South Bank in 2003, the numbers of people heading into central London for the acclaimed pyrotechnic and lighting display had mushroomed from an estimated 100,000 people in its first year to an estimated 500,000 in 2013 the last year before ticketing was introduced. A large proportion of them were unable to see the display at all, leaving them disappointed and with nowhere to go at midnight. The sheer numbers threatened the emergency services ability to respond to a major incident effectively, and left many thousands of people cold, tired and unable to get anywhere near the event.
2. Approx. 110,000 tickets will be made available for the event this year.
3. Aside from the fireworks London is one of the most exciting cities to be in on New Year's Eve with hundreds of events taking place in clubs, pubs and restaurants across the capital. There is a huge number of ways to ring in your New Year. To find out more go to: www.visitlondon.com/newyear.