Revealed: Sadiq Khan’s bumper New Year’s Eve firework budget hit £4m
Approximately 12,000 fireworks were used during London’s spectacular New Year’s Eve display, which had a budget of almost four million pounds, City A.M. can reveal.
The Mayor of London’s spenny ceremony to bring in 2024 was the biggest ever, with fireworks impressing a hundred-thousand revellers who lined the banks of the river Thames.
In a freedom of information request to the Greater London Authority, the Mayor’s office said the “budget available for the event was £3.85m, with additional costs being supported by ticket revenue of £1.75m.”
It said the authority “does not hold the final costs for the 2023 event – these are still being reconciled” and it was also unable to say what the most expensive individual firework was during the display.
During this year’s event, police struggled to maintain order as non-ticket holders tried to rush into the area for official viewing of the event.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London justified the nearly £4m budget for 12,000 fireworks, saying: “London’s spectacular New Year’s Eve celebration brings more than 100,000 Londoners and visitors together on the banks of the Thames, while tens of millions watch around the globe.
“The event attracts huge numbers of tourists into London every year, and is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our capital at its very best – boosting our economy and providing an incredible global advert for our tourism industry.
“The fireworks are only a small fraction of the total budget, which has increased over the years to provide more stewards and enhanced security, as well as due to inflation.”
During the COVID-affected 2020/21 event, fireworks cost £1.5m, with 2022’s costing £1,502,960.
The display to bring in 2023 had a spend of £3m, with £1.3m recouped through ticket sales.
Susan Hall, the Tories’ mayoral hopeful who trails Khan in the polls, said: “It is a shame Sadiq Khan has been too busy with his egotistical fireworks display, when he should have been dealing with the knife crime epidemic that has grown on his watch.”