Thanks for the memory

30 Jan 09, 10.26pm
Browsing the internet tonight I unexpectedly came across a blog recording the finest moment in the history of Fantastic Fireworks - the display which celebrated Liverpool's 800th birthday. It was a pleasure to read such a glowing account and to be reminded of that perfect summer night back in August 2007, with a full moon shining out of a cloudless sky. As the clock on the Liver Building struck 10pm the waterfront erupted. Simon Jones takes up the story...'The firework display was quite simply the most amazing firework display I’ve ever seen, beating that 4th of July firework display in Boston (USA) back in 2000. Fireworks were fired from the top of the Liver Building, the catholic cathedral and the church of England cathedral, as well as a barge on the river Mersey. The £250,000 18 minute display was timed to perfection and set to music that was broadcast around the city and on a local radio station. What these photographs fail to give you a sense of was the enormity of the display that stretched across the entire city in perfect time. It truly was a beautiful, awesome spectacle.' Thanks Simon for this trip down memory lane. You can read his full blog and see the photos at http://www.beforeiforget.co.uk/2007/happy-birthday-liverpool/#comments

Don't be fooled by rocketing firework prices!

28 Jan 09, 11.06pm
David has been telling me how expensive he found his recent weekend trip to Dublin. With a pint of beer costing 5 euros, that's very nearly a fiver a pint! It's the same with the dollar. With the pound sinking from 1.90 a year ago to 1.40 today, anything priced in dollars will cost you 35 per cent more in pounds. That's why petrol prices have crept up again recently & why Chinese firework imports, which are also priced in dollars, will rocket in cost this year. The good news for Fantastic Fireworks customers is that we will be one of the very few UK firework companies not be raising our prices. That's because we anticipated the fall in sterling and bought our entire 2009 stock at 2008 prices. If you hear of any customers of other companies being told that fireworks price rises are unavoidable, please refer them to us!

It's a Dogs Life...

Mon 26th Jan 09, 1.43pm
Ali and I have just been out walking Bertie & Louis. All you animal lovers out may find the following amusing...

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary
8:00am - Dog food! My favourite thing!
9:40am - A walk in the park! My favourite thing!
10:30am - Got rubbed and petted! My favourite thing!
12:00pm - Lunch! My favourite thing!
3:00pm - Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!
7:00pm - Got to play ball! My favourite thing!
8:00pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!
11:00pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Diary:
Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies". I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now.....

A double whammy weekend

Fri 23 Jan 09, 11.25pm
The end of another week and I can reveal that Bonfire Night is only 286 days away! With November 5th falling on a Thursday we will soon start preparing for another manic week. Our order book for Saturday the 7th is already full, the 5th is filling up fast and the previous Saturday (October 31st) is not far behind. With Halloween rivalling Bonfire Night in the country's love affair with things that go bump in the night, it's a good opportunity for the fireworks industry to get in on the act. Let's keep the kids off the street with a Spooktakular display and call it Fright Night! It's already happening at places like Thorpe Park and with Halloween being a Saturday, fireworks should enjoy another double whammy weekend.

The Event Show 2009 - do come & see us!

Wednesday 21st January 2009, 17.30
Good afternoon everyone! It's been a busy day in the office today as Hayley, David, Annie & I have dutifully minded the phones while the rest of the team man our super-duper Fantastic Fireworks stand at the Event Show at Olympia. We've been receiving regular updates in the office and all seems to be going well. By the sounds of things Linda, Ali & Jon have had a busy time, spending any quiet moments surveying the competition and checking out the in-house entertainment! It's my turn to take over tomorrow, along with David and Jon, and I'm looking forward to it. We shall all be there, armed with brochures, a warm smile and ready for a chat about the wonderful world of fireworks. Maybe we'll see you there?...

http://www.eco.co.uk/visitors/whatson/trade/2009/the-event-show-09/

Wispa - the sequel

Mon 19th Jan 09, 11pm
The makers of the Wispa TV commercial, aired just before Christmas, have promised Fantastic Fireworks a special moment when it reappears in March. Fallon, the ad agency responsible, are planning a series of follow-ups thanking the contributors. The 'feature-length' ad, celebrating the return of Britain's favourite chocolate bar, included more than 300 volunteers ranging from morris-dancers to our team of pyrotechnicians. Cadburys, the makers of Wispa, plan to make a donation to Children in Need with the money they saved.

If you haven't already looked up the answers to my Pub Quiz on Saturday, here they are:

1. Sheffield 2. Sir Alex Ferguson 3. Nicholas Lyndhurst 4. Kiki Dee 5. Zinc 6. Cornwall 7. Genesis 8. Nick Clegg 9. Alexander Fleming 10. Capricorn 11. Public Limited Company 12. Kiefer Sutherland 13. Swimming14. Benedict 15. Chippendale 16. Doves 17. Daniel Day Lewis 18. Mother Teresa 19. Agnetha 20. 1812 21. Dame Kiri te Kanewa 22. Bucket 23. Alexandra Burke 24. Italy 25. Mercury.

If you got more than 20 you are the new champions!

Your turn to take the Pub Quiz test

Sat 17th Jan 09, 12.40pm
Yesterday I promised to post the 25 Pub Quiz questions which exercised the finest minds of Fantastic Fireworks. Today it's your go. Answers on Monday.
1. In which English City would you find the Crucible Theatre?
2. Who is the manager of Manchester United?
3. Who played Rodney in Only Fools and Horses?
4. Which female vocalist duetted with Elton John on the hit ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’?
5. Which element has the chemical symbol Zn?
6. Which county in England shares its border with only one other county?
7. In which book of the Old Testament does the story of Cain and Able appear?
8. Who is the leader of the Lib Dem party?
9. In 1928, who discovered Penicillin?
10. If you were born on Christmas Day, which star sign would you be?
11. What do the initials PLC stand for after a company name?
12. Who stars as agent Jack Bauer in the TV series 24?
13. For which sport was Duncan Goodhew famous?
14. What is the name of the current Pope?
15. Which of the following is not a type of pottery: Ming, Chippendale, and Wedgwood?
16. What type of bird has varieties called Ring, Turtle and Collared?
17. Who won the Oscar for ‘Best Actor’ last year in the film There will Be Blood?
18. Who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the poor in India?
19. Who teamed up with Benny, Bjorn and Annafried to form ABBA?
20. Which overture has a date in the title and features cannons and bells in the music?
21. Which Opera singer sang a solo and Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1982?
22. In Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, what was Charlie’s surname?
23. Who won last year’s X Factor?
24. From which country does Gorgonzola cheese come?
25. Which planet is nearest the Sun?

Pub Quiz Champions

Friday 16th Jan 09, 11.06pm
After a hard day down at The Half Moon debating the future shape of Fantastic Fireworks it was only fair to give our office staff some rest and relaxation. Cue The Pub Quiz. Twenty-five hair-tearing questions ranging from which book of the Old Testamant do Cain & Abel appear in to who won an Oscar for best actor for his role in the film There Will Be Blood. In a rare admission of guilt that they spend too much time reading the Bible and watching films, Steve and Dave from our Manchester office were declared winners with 20 correct answers. Tomorrow I will post the 25 quetions to test the general knowledge of our blog followers. No cheating!

Going green!

Wednesday 14th January 2009, 16:55
Here at Fantastic Fireworks we are starting off the New Year the way in which we intend to carry on! As of today, we are starting a new recycling initiative, one that will not only help the environment, but also benefit a brilliant charitable cause too. So a double-whammy of good things rolled up into one easy-peasy task! We are collecting up all used toners, cartridges, PDA’s and old mobile phones (I’m sure we all have several each, the size of bricks, lurking at the bottom of the ‘junk drawer’ at home!) and we will be sending them off to an organisation that will not only recycle each item, but donate a percentage of the re-sale cost to our chosen charity.

We are thrilled to be doing our bit in the office. If any of our Firer’s/regular visitors to FF would like to join us in going green in 2009, we would be more than happy to send your cartridges/old mobiles off with our own... You know where we are :o)

Polishing, Laundering, De-Clogging

13 Jan 09, 6.45pm
And out in The Shires, the firing fraternity are also preparing themselves for the year ahead. There are head-torches to be found, de-batteried, re-charged and re-batteried, nips to be sharpened and polished (shiny nips are a matter of pride for many firers), overalls to be laundered and pressed (gotta get rid of that pink), thermals to be washed and aired (some for the first time), boots to be de-clogged and re-laced, belts to be extended by one notch (again), stop watches to be stopped (and, in some cases, re-started), SatNavs to be re-tuned to Planet Earth, brew kits to be re-stocked, anemometers to be . . . er . . . checked, and underwear to be strengthened for the rigours and stresses of hand firing.

There's a lot to do. But by the time your read this we'll be ready for the 2009 season. Bring it on !

Filing, dialling & smiling

Mon Jan 11th 09, 11.06pm
This is the time of the year when firework companies do their house-keeping. Tom & the team outside are cleaning hundreds of mortar tubes, stakes & pegs, rewiring firing systems & stock taking; in the office Ali, Linda, Kate & David are busy calling customers, booking this year's displays & updating files before the new season gets under way. Up in our Manchester office Steve & Dave are selecting fantastic new effects from China including Smiley Face shells and 3D revolving wheels. I've been looking though the best of our photos from 2008. This one comes from our Hampton Court display for the RHS and captures a comet candle sequence in a series of fans which neatly complement the conical trees which lead down to the Long Water.

Blast from the past

08 Jan 09, 12.55pm
The wish to master fire was at the very roots of early firework devlopment. The Chinese were the first, and soon Europe developed techniques and technology. Somewhere between China nd Europe technology got stuck somewhere in history.

Here in Sri Lanka we have just come through the peak firework time of the year spread between Christmas and New Year. Numerous roadside stalls and quick makeshift pavement displays were loaded with crudely made and brightly packaged fireworks of several shapes but not it seems several types. They all go BANG. None that I saw bore any written descriptions or instructions. That's what they like and that's what they get. No colour, no effects, no real height or performance and no tiresome safety instructions. Just bangs, loud and numerous.

As the fusilades of crackers and bangs did not need darkness to be appreciated we were treated to about 10 days of bangs and cracks at all hours. 100 miles to the North-East of our house real bombs and bullets are being used in a real war, and it is suprising that the quantity of machine-gun crackers or huge bomb-type explosions are tolerated by the authorities or enjoyed by the populace.

I hope to visit a Sri Lankan firework factory, so a further report on this primative industry soon perhaps.

Desert Island Dreams (4)

07 Jan 09, 12.26am
As we shiver into work each morning, it's time once again to think of that far-off, sun-kissed desert island where we can forget the credit crunch and Celebrity Big Brother. This week it is the turn of Tom Clark, our operations manager, to choose the eight discs he would take to his Shangri-La:

ELO – Mr Blue Sky (Every day should start with this song, It will cheer you up from even the worst of moods).

The Wildhearts – 29X The Pain (Never has a song been written that so accurately captures my teenage years).

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (Brings a tear to the eye of even the coldest of hearts).

The Darkness – Love On The Rocks With No Ice (For no other reason than I did live pyro for them during this song).

Johnny Cash – Hurt (A man looks back on what he has done with his life)

Therapy? – Screamanger (The very first record I ever brought on a cassette EP and I still own it).

Thunder – Love Walked In (A song about love at first sight by my favourite band of all time).

The Beatles – You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (A perfect pop song from my favourite Beatles Album HELP!)

Luxury Item
A fully inflated basketball which I could then paint a face on, name and talk to in order to keep me company (thanks to Mr T. Hanks for that idea)

How would I cope?
I plan to pass the time by building my own luxury beach villa with a pool, tennis court and gardens…..why? So that If someone of the opposite sex also happens to get stranded on my island, I will be ready for her!

Tom, it has been a pleasure hearing your choices. I'm even more impressed because at the time of choosing, in early December, most people had never heard of Hallelujah!

Walking through fire

Monday 5th Jan 09, 11.05pm
Of the several books I received as Christmas presents, one stands out: The Damned United by David Peace. This brilliant novel charts the rise and fall of the late football manager Brian Clough, who took Derby County to the Football League championship in 1972 but then fell spectacularly from grace at Leeds United. Managing a football team is very like managing a business, you have to have a clear vision of your goal and then motivate your team to achieve it. In Peace's compellingly readable account of one of English football's greatest managers, Clough is portrayed as someone who achieved his remarkable success by bullying, humiliating and belittling his players. The amazing thing is that they loved him for it. They wanted to play for him. They would walk through fire for him. Anyone running a business would love to have a team like that. We certainly have one here at Fantastic Fireworks. Walking through fire is what we do every weekend and I never have to say a word!