Seaside town cancels fireworks night after sewer collapses

A popular seaside town‘s annual fireworks display has been cancelled after a collapsed sewer forced major roadworks, leaving organisers fearing for public safety. Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council has axed its annual Viking Bay fireworks event, which had been due to take place on November 5.

The decision follows the discovery of a collapsed sewer beneath Victoria Parade, near Wrotham Road, prompting extensive repair work. The works have significantly reduced the available space for pedestrians, raising concerns about how thousands of spectators would safely leave the seafront after the display. Organisers said they had explored every possible alternative before deciding the event could not safely go ahead, reported Kent Online.

In a statement, the council said: “This difficult decision follows a rigorous safety review and risk assessment.

“The ongoing major building works to replace a collapsed sewer on Victoria Parade have significantly reduced vital walking space, which serves as our primary crowd dispersal area.

“Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council has explored every available alternative and we are incredibly grateful to Southern Water for being highly accommodating in trying to help us find a solution.

“However, closer inspection of the data and space constraints confirmed that the risk to public safety is simply too high.”

The council added: “We share your disappointment, but the safety of our residents and visitors must always come first.”

The sewer collapse was identified after a sewage spill at Viking Bay on October 5, when waste water spread across the concrete and reached the beach.

Southern Water initially sent three tankers to the site to take flows from the sewer and limit the leak, while another tanker collected as much of the spilled sewage as possible.

The company subsequently confirmed that the problem involved a collapsed sewer around 10 metres deep beneath Victoria Parade.

It has been working to contain the risk of further pollution along the shoreline, using pumps, barriers and regular bathing-water sampling.

The fireworks event is traditionally held at Viking Bay, one of Broadstairs’ best-known seaside attractions, drawing residents and visitors to the seafront.