ONE of Cornwall’s most popular bonfire night firework displays will be at a new venue and on a different day this year due to “chaos” and police concerns at last year’s event.

Truro City Council clerk David Rodda told councillors on September 29 that the event will no longer take place at Tremorvah playing field in the city.

He told councillors that police almost “walked away” from last year’s bonfire night event due to a dangerous traffic gridlock.

To avoid that happening again, it has been decided to hold this year’s family firework display at the bigger Truro Cattle Market site on Newquay Road.

However, it will now take place on Thursday, November 6, rather than on or before the traditional Bonfire Night date of November 5 to avoid a clash with the cattle market.

His comments came after criticism of the move by Truro city councillor Sarah Wetherill.

She said: “You can’t get to the cattle market safely on foot. We talked earlier about the amount of traffic on the roads. I really don’t like this suggestion at all.”

She added that she would like to see the event continue at Tremorvah playing field with road closures making it accessible to people living nearby.

Cllr Wetherill believed moving it to another venue outside the city centre wouldn’t help a ‘No Carbon Truro’ strategy. She also said that staging a firework display on the day after Bonfire Night would mean people not attending.

Mr Rodda explained why the decision had been made: “Last year’s event was a victim of its own success really. The roads around there were gridlocked. The police got to the stage where they were going to walk away from it because it was getting dangerous. It was chaos.

“If you were inside [the event] it was fantastic, everyone enjoyed themselves and raised a lot of money for charity, but the road network just doesn’t allow for it to happen. We looked at road options and closures, but where Tremorvah is means it’s not just one road closure, it’s five roads we’d have to close.

“We staff our road closures with our own staff and we haven’t got enough. We’d have to bring them in, which would be a cost,” he said, adding that would impact the event being a charity fundraiser.

“The decision wasn’t made lightly to move it, but we looked at the risks and costs involved and it came out as the best alternative option,” added Mr Rodda.

“The event is now too big to hold at Tremorvah. Our view is that it will get bigger as we haven’t increased the cost of it for a very long time and don’t intend to.”

Cllr Carol Swain suggested contacting Cornwall Council to see if Tregurra park and ride, which is situated near the cattle market, could stay open later to accommodate visitors to the Bonfire Night event. The clerk said that was a very good idea.