12 replies to this topic

[MiniChris]

Looking to spend a bit more on fireworks this year, somewhere in the £300 region and dont know where to start. I've been looking at the Epic site and their display packs as they are too far from me to go collect singles.
Does anyone have any alternative reccomendations on either display packs or singles, I would prefer more noise and a long duration with not too many rockets and obviously the best and most bang for my £.

Thanks in advance

Chris

[Spyrotechnics]

When comparing prices please be sure to compare the number/size/duration of the items in the packs rather than the "savings" based on the own brand RRP's that are set by the people actually selling them in a lot of cases.

i.e a 25shot large bore cake may have an rrp of £39-99 in one place and £24-99 in another, for a very similar performing piece - but obviously one will be able to offer you a larger "saving" than the other

(hope that makes sense)

Stu

[screwball]

Looking to spend a bit more on fireworks this year, somewhere in the £300 region and dont know where to start. I've been looking at the Epic site and their display packs as they are too far from me to go collect singles.
Does anyone have any alternative reccomendations on either display packs or singles, I would prefer more noise and a long duration with not too many rockets and obviously the best and most bang for my £.

Thanks in advance

Chris

if your after noisy fireworks this year be careful to ask the shop who you get your fireworks from if the fireworks are "new reg or old reg" the newer regulation fireworks for this year have quite a bit less flash powder in them which has been replaced with black powder in order to keep the fireworks rated to 1.4G rather than the 1.3G that the flash based fireworks have become, and as a result arnt quite as noisy and are more smokey as a result . Most if not all Epics fireworks (including the new ones for this year) are all flash powder based and as a result are rated at 1.3G

Epic have people traveling to them from all over the country including london and south wales and scotland to pick packs and singles up etc and offer free fireworks for those that do (subject to T&C)

[dogsbody]

i think the big question is really , where are you based, then maybe people can point you in the direction of a good local supplier

[David]

My advice, on a budget of £300, would be to buy single items. Most display facts have lots of pairs of fireworks. There is nothing wrong with pairs, of course, but for £300 I'd say it is better to go for the variety of single items.


Top Tip- don't buy too many fireworks, or too many fireworks of the same kind. If you buy just a few large items, your display might be disappointingly short. If you buy a load of little things, it is going to get boring.


Decide how long you want your display to last, and what style of fireworks you needed eg, candles, cakes, fountains, a mixture etc.

Then think how you might want to do your display-

eg

1. Fountains
2. small cakes,
3. Medium sized cakes
4. A Grand Finale.

Be VERY selective for the Grand Finale piece. Check out You Tube videos, ukfr, shop footage- decide which piece suits your display. I'd suggest something very fast firing, with a short-ish duration.

Then the medium sized cakes- Again, be selective. Maybe 3 or 4 of these, using about £100 of your budget. Just have a browse, see what you like the look of.

Smaller cakes- You can be a bit more flexible here. Some of the lower priced barrage packs are perfectly good- doubles can be fired in pairs.

But yeah- as zebedee says, let us know which firework shops are "in range" and work from there.



Just an example- this is roughly £300 at full RRP- maybe, depending on which shops you have access to, you could also get a discount.

1. Fountains- Kimbolton Jumping Jelly Beans, Golden Lion Dippy Goldfish in Magic pond, A large cone (any brand) £25

2. Smaller cakes- A Men Shun barrage pack eg Demolition (£40), A couple of 19 shot cakes (many brands) (£30)

3. Airboss (£50) Crazy Horses (£40)

4. Finale Tiger's Revenge (£85)


That would leave £30 to spend on portfires, sparklers, maybe some glow lanterns etc for a bit of fun.

Edited by David, 23 September 2008 - 01:15 AM.

[MiniChris]

Thanks for the replys. Im in birmingham so middle of everywhere lol! Waiting to see what Latifs have to offer this year before i spend. driving up to epic is what im thinking right now but its easily the best part of £100in petrol and over 6hrs + driving there and back. not sure its worth i

[NickC]

Thanks for the replys. Im in birmingham so middle of everywhere lol! Waiting to see what Latifs have to offer this year before i spend. driving up to epic is what im thinking right now but its easily the best part of £100in petrol and over 6hrs + driving there and back. not sure its worth i

Can't possible be that much - I did the journey from South London upto Epic in just over four hours in a 2.5 Petrol Turbo and it didn't cost me that much in petrol. They are very helpful, very friendly and well worth the trip. I was picking up £500+ of goods but was happy with the additional freebies - certainly covered the cost of a tank of petrol.

[screwball]

Thanks for the replys. Im in birmingham so middle of everywhere lol! Waiting to see what Latifs have to offer this year before i spend. driving up to epic is what im thinking right now but its easily the best part of £100in petrol and over 6hrs + driving there and back. not sure its worth i

your about a 2 hour drive away depending on exactly where you are and on traffic etc and you can always sit and have a chat and a coffee when you get there , theres no rush to buy and go and get you out of the door asap

i carnt see it costing you £100+ in petrol unless you got some kind of huge monster truck :-) and im sure they would chuck something in to offset the cost of the petrol

[MiniChris]

Can't possible be that much - I did the journey from South London upto Epic in just over four hours in a 2.5 Petrol Turbo and it didn't cost me that much in petrol. They are very helpful, very friendly and well worth the trip. I was picking up £500+ of goods but was happy with the additional freebies - certainly covered the cost of a tank of petrol.

Just checked and its a 260 mile round trip! Should really check before I guestimate , still about £70 in fuel (3.2 V6) but as you say, it definatly seems worth the trip now!!

[David]

NickC- Welcome to the Pyro Society!

[Daedalus]

I was picking up £500+ of goods but was happy with the additional freebies - certainly covered the cost of a tank of petrol.

So what sort of level of freebies do they give for collection?

I have looked at the site before and seen some stuff I liked the look of but can't justify buying stuff by the case based on a website video. If the freebies are really worth having it may be worth a journey (though I guess the best freebies may be obtained after the Nov/Dec silly season by stocking up for next year). I see a lot of the prices have gone up quite a bit too since they re-designed the website and a lot of offers have gone too - with hindsight taking a punt on a case of NightVision at 1/3 RRP and topping up to get free delivery may have been a bloody good bargain!!!!

[screwball]

So what sort of level of freebies do they give for collection?

I have looked at the site before and seen some stuff I liked the look of but can't justify buying stuff by the case based on a website video. If the freebies are really worth having it may be worth a journey (though I guess the best freebies may be obtained after the Nov/Dec silly season by stocking up for next year). I see a lot of the prices have gone up quite a bit too since they re-designed the website and a lot of offers have gone too - with hindsight taking a punt on a case of NightVision at 1/3 RRP and topping up to get free delivery may have been a bloody good bargain!!!!

prices have gone up across the board as a whole throughout the industry down to price rises from China , you will find most fireworks have gone up on most brands in all shops and theres a firework shortage this year due to the Olympic games and the transportation/exportation shutdown as a result of them , though im pleased to say Epic is fully stocked

the freebies really refer to display packs and the freebies are given to customers as a thank you for picking up the packs rather than having to pay a delivery driver to deliver them to you also saves on paperwork etc , if you travel to the shop then items can be bought singly rather than by the case , deliveries of single items have to be by the case due to transport regulations

[David]

Always worth the trip to Epic- It wise to stock up quite soon, they tend to get mad-busy during October!

Edited by David, 24 September 2008 - 03:26 AM.