The New Year’s Eve fireworks display in Manchester city centre will go ahead as planned, it has been confirmed. Events in other parts of the UK have been cancelled due to weather warnings which are in place.
The popular Christmas by the Sea display in Blackpool, the Hogmanay celebrations in Edinbrugh and an event in Newcastle have all been cancelled.
A Met Office yellow weather warning for wind is in place covering Scotland, the north east and Cumbria. And organisers said the forecasted high winds meant they could not go ahead on safety grounds. London City Hall said it was monitoring the situation ahead of the planned display there.
There is no wind warning covering Greater Manchester. However a yellow warning for rain which covers the region comes into effect at 3pm today, lasting until 11am tomorrow (Wednesday). It says that ‘persistent and at times heavy rainfall’ is expected starting today with 30-50 mm (one to two inches) of rain expected ‘fairly widely.’
Around 20,000 people are expected at a huge family friendly fireworks display this year being held in St Peter’s Square for the first time. Starting at 10pm and running untill 12:30am, there will be a live stage show, with radio presenter and DJ Joe McGrath hosting proceedings and leading the countdown to midnight.
The event is this year being held in St Peter’s Square
(Image: MEN)
In a statement issued this afternoon, Manchester City Council confirmed the event here would be going ahead as planned. Though they urged attendees to wrap up warm.
Coun Pat Karney, the town hall’s designated New Year’s spokesperson, said: “Our New Year celebrations are going ahead tonight as planned.
“Mancunians know that when it’s a bit cold and wet you have to wrap up warm, but we’re looking forward to seeing everyone tonight as we all celebrate counting down to 2025 in Manchester, the best city in the world.”
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said: “The Stage going up in front of Santa. The weather is moody but we are Mancs. We make our own weather.”