Where and when you can buy fireworks across the North East this Autumn as Bonfire Night and Halloween approach

Summer is drawing to a close and Autumn is nearly here, and that means plenty of firework displays are on the horizon, but the UK has strict laws on where and when they can be bought.

If you fancy setting off a few of your own fireworks over the coming months, here’s all you need to know.

When can I buy fireworks in the UK?

The public are only able to buy fireworks throughout specific periods of the year. These are between Saturday, October 15 and Thursday, November 10 as well as between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve as well as three days before Diwali and Chinese New Year.

This includes sparklers.

Anyone under the age of 18 is unable to buy category two and three fireworks, which the vast majority of traditional household fireworks call into.

When can I let off fireworks?

Much like the law regarding buying fireworks, laws regarding the use of the explosives is heavily regulated.

The law says members of the public must not set off or throw fireworks or sparklers in the street or other public places.

Fireworks cannot be set off between 11am and 7am with a small number of exceptions. These are Bonfire Night (Friday, November 5) when fireworks can be let off until midnight and New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year, when the cut off is 1am.

Where can I buy fireworks in the North East?

Anyone wanting to buy fireworks can only do so from registered sellers between the dates mentioned above.

The majority of supermarkets sell fireworks every Autumn and Winter as the public search for options across Bonfire Night leading up to the New Year, with Asda and Tesco usually offering the best deals from the big names although Morrisons and Aldi have both sold fireworks in the past.

Sainsburys stopped the last of fireworks in its stores back in 2019.

Various shops specialising in the sale and use of fireworks run across the North East including Spectrum Fireworks in Jarrow and Durham’s Fantastic Fireworks, although these companies hold specific licences to sell stock.