Fireworks Hawke's Bay's James Vercoe, left, and Chris Stokes sort stock in preparation for a frenetic final few days of fireworks sales. Photo / Warren Buckland
Fireworks Hawke's Bay's James Vercoe, left, and Chris Stokes sort stock in preparation for a frenetic final few days of fireworks sales. Photo / Warren Buckland
If you're having a blast this Guy Fawkes in Hawke's Bay, you can thank police at Auckland's border for showing a bit of festive lenience.
Local Napier pop-up store Fireworks Hawke's Bay almost missed out on Guy Fawkes stock altogether as overseas suppliers struggled with shipment delays and Covid restrictions.
"It really came down to the eleventh hour, for whether or not we had fireworks," Fireworks Hawke's Bay manager Chris Stokes told Hawke's Bay Today.
Fireworks are perhaps more scarce in the region in 2021 than they have ever been.
Level 2 restrictions have made public firework displays all-but impossible and none of Hawke's Bays popular public fireworks displays, such as the one at Meeanee Speedway and Havelock North's Blast In The Park, will be going ahead.
Police stopped Fireworks Hawke's Bay at the Auckland border, but then showed an act of festive lenience in allowing them to access their stock. Photo / Supplied
The Warehouse Group also decided last year to no longer sell fireworks, leaves Hawke's Bay residents with fewer retail options.
Pop-up stores such as Bad Boy Fireworks and Fireworks Hawke's Bay seem to be the best bet, with Crackerjack and King of Swords Napier also having a small supply.
But Fireworks Hawke's Bay was really cutting it close. After being told their original stock order would not arrive in time, the pop-up's last minute requests for stock were turned down by two more companies.
With 11 days left until set up, Stokes said they were saved "in the eleventh hour" by an Auckland pyrotechnic supplier who had stock leftover due to Auckland retailers ordering less during level 3 restrictions.
It did not leave Stokes long to get the fireworks from Auckland to Napier, and they immediately requested a border exemption to move the stock.
They had not heard back from the Government about their exemption by October 27 so, believing their exemption request might be enough to get entry, they took off for Auckland on October 27.
It wasn't. They were duly stopped and denied entry into Auckland.
But in an act of festive mercy police working at the border let Hawke's Bay Fireworks pull over on the side of the road and transfer their stock by hand at the borderline.
"The police were great, especially considering there was an anti-lockdown protest just down the road from the border checkpoint," Stokes said.
Fireworks will be on sale until November 5, and Stokes said Hawke's Bay Fireworks had a busy first few days of sales.
There may however be one person who is a festive killjoy - Mother Nature isn't playing ball with Friday night's forecast at present.
Napier City Council is advising residents who are lighting fireworks on Marine Parade to take their rubbish with them.
A beach clean-up is planned for the following day.
TIPS TO STAY SAFE THIS GUY FAWKES:
- Only adults should light fireworks
- Don't light fireworks in windy or dry conditions.
- Carefully read and follow the manufacturer's instructions before using any fireworks.
- Light your fireworks in a wide-open area, away from anything that could catch fire, like dry grass or flammable gases or liquids. Point fireworks at the sky.
- Keep a bucket of water, hose or fire extinguisher handy.
- Don't drink and light. Alcohol mixed with fireworks is one dangerous cocktail.
