Sales of fireworks to youths fizzle out

RETAILERS in Edinburgh have been praised for cutting the sale of fireworks to underage youths.

It comes after city council trading standards officials carried out a test purchasing scheme which saw young volunteers sent into shops across the city to try and buy fireworks.

Figures released by the council yesterday showed that the percentage of shops illegally selling fireworks to youngsters had dropped by more than a third in the past 12 months.

According to the results, just eight per cent of shops in the city were found to be still selling the age-restricted products to under-18s - compared to 14 per cent last year and more than half in 2002.

Sheila Gilmore, the council's executive member for community safety and housing, said that the results showed that attitudes of shopkeepers had "changed dramatically" since new firework legislation was introduced two years ago.

She added: "A few years ago, you'd get fireworks going off from September and there were more youngsters trying to get their hands on them. But now, that appears to have changed. As it is an offence for youngsters to possess or buy fireworks, and the law is being effectively enforced, we're seeing a change in attitude to the problem.

"Fewer youngsters are trying to buy fireworks and, as the results of the trading standards test-purchasing have shown, fewer shopkeepers are selling them."

Over the past two weeks, eight youngsters were recruited to visit shops across the city where they found just two stores - out of a total of 28 visited - that were breaking the law by selling fireworks to under-18s.

Councillor Gilmore added: "Where we find shopkeepers compromising firework safety by breaking the law we take rigorous enforcement action which can result in fines of up to £5000 or imprisonment.

"Responsible retailers have no excuse for not complying with the legislation, particularly since council officers are very willing to offer helpful information and advice.

"But most have now got the message and their stance to refuse to sell fireworks to kids has meant that the levels of noise nuisance during the run-up to Bonfire Night have improved greatly."

Shopkeepers also say fewer youngsters are trying to buy fireworks than in previous years.

Anwar Ulhaq, who owns Ali's Cave on Lothian Road, said: "I don't know why, but we haven't had a problem with it at all this year. Over the past few years there's always been a few kids who are blatantly underage or have sent in the oldest-looking out of their friends to buy fireworks, but it's been getting less and less recently. This year, there have been none at all so maybe their attitudes to fireworks have changed."

Tough regulations were introduced across Scotland in 2004 to combat the misuse of fireworks, including a curfew prohibiting anyone from setting them off between 11pm and 7am. The only nights exempt from the curfew are Bonfire Night, Hogmanay, Chinese New Year and the Hindu Festival of Light.

A police spokeswoman said: "We haven't seen a big problem with firework misuse this year, although that could change over the next few days. However, we urge people to be mindful of safety issues surrounding firework use and would remind anyone misusing them that they could be fined heavily."

Council officers, police and fire and rescue officers, have also visited 83 premises across the city to check all fireworks are being stored safely.

Has the clampdown on fireworks gone too far and taken all the fun away?