Key information
Request reference number: MGLA020124-3140
Date of response:
Summary of request
Your request
- Please provide me with the number of tickets sold for the New Years Eve London fireworks for the 31st December 2022, the number of attendees for the New Years Eve London fireworks for the 31st December 2022 and then the number of tickets sold for the New Years Eve London fireworks for the 31st December 2023 and the number of attendees for the New Years Eve London fireworks for the 31st December 2023.
- For the 2023 attendees number, please provide the number of checked tickets - the number of ticket holders that were actually permitted entry.
- In addition, please provide the number of voluntary staff for the New Years’ Eve firework celebrations, the number of metropolitan police staffed, and the number of security professionals staffed at the event.
- If able to, please provide the number of tickets that staff identified as fake.
- I would like you to provide this information in the following format: A word document clearly outlining the difference in numbers between the event of last years New Years’ Eve fireworks (2022 going into 2023 and then 2023 going into 2024). Tables with statistics are fine and any additional commentary on the event’s running for the 2023/2024 edition is appreciated - such as the different systems/staff used from previous years? Why stewards are not paid? What were the delays in security checks? How did so many people not get entry, despite being tick holders (fake tickets is not an acceptable response).
Our response
All security and stewarding staff are paid for their time. Stewards and security staff are sourced through four distinct providers, coordinated by a central crowd management team within event control.
There are a relatively small number of volunteers supporting ‘visitor welcome’ with wayfinding and general advice for ticketholders.
A significant rise in the number of fake and unauthorised tickets in circulation, as well as non-ticketholders taking a chance on finding a view, led to large crowds arriving at ticket gates and being refused entry. Frustratingly, this caused congestion and resulted in delays at a small number of entry points .
It is common on New Year’s Eve that a proportion of the ticketholders do not attend. Typically this is around 20% of all tickets, but data across the event this year suggests a dropout of nearer 30% which can be attributed to several factors but is expected to be a result of very poor weather forecasts and warnings about potential travel disruption on both 31st December and 1st January.