PaulM

Thanks Phil. My view is not too sophisticated - and I am NOT a firework expert, I am completely humbled and out of my depth in the company that makes up the society. Here it is for what its worth.

I love wine, Red wine actually. Travel through France and around every corner there's a different vineyard, a different producer and a range of wines so varied you could never sample them all. That characterises France to a great degree. U.K. Fireworks jogged along in a similar fashion - brands were favoured for REAL reasons, consumers formed true and valid opinions and demonstrated those with loyalty. I don't buy fireworks now of course so I really can't comment on where we are now, but I couldn't tell one Chinese firework brand from the next, apart I might say from obvious quality levels. I did receive some innovative Kimbolton stuff a while back, a Jumping Jelly Beans item - it was absolutely lovely BECAUSE it was different. 

Despite my Astra background, I love Standard stuff, looking at the craftsmanship that went into their material it was absolutely beautiful, Their pin-wheel, stark white with a deep red centre hub - to me that is the definitive wheel. As a manufacturer I know the pride and satisfaction gained from producing something that looks right and works well. We don't produce Paintball pyrotechnics any more (Chinese imports stuffed the market....that's another story) but when we did we took genuine pride in everything that went out. In the ten years we manufactured the various smokes, thunderflashes, grenades etc. we produced more than a million items, all by hand, possibly nearer to 1.5 million. There are obvious parrallels between what we were doing then and the old firework industry.

To me it's about more than just money. The magic of the business cannot be replaced by importing something from a country where some poor sod has to survive on a pittance, and capitalising on an immoral difference in wealth between "them and us"

That's little more than box moving and that, to me, is in a nutshell the manifest result of the decline of the fireworks industry. I appreciate the fact that younger enthusiasts have been failed the opportunity of savouring the delights of home produced goods - I never fail to recognise and appreciate the talent and knowledge of the contributors to these forums and am truly saddened at the loss to them of the industry I am prattling on about.

Feel free to defend Chinese stuff, I probably DO need educating and bollocking for failing to see a different picture.

Paul M.