Families who attended a sell-out Bonfire Night firework display at Blakemere village in Cheshire have been told they will not receive refunds after thick fog obscured the show. The event took place on November 7, and while visitors enjoyed the two-hour lead-up with rides, balloons, stalls, and food and drink, by the time the fireworks were due to start at 7.30pm, heavy fog had descended on the Northwich site.
Blakemere Family Explains Decision
In a statement on social media, the Blakemere family, which owns the site, apologised for the fog affecting the evening and confirmed that no refunds would be given. They explained that local forecasts had not mentioned fog for their area, and that it began moving over Blakemere at around 4.30pm, before gates opened at 5.15pm. It seemed to ease around 6pm, then returned as the fireworks were due to start.
The family said: "We've watched the CCTV back, and it still surprises us how quickly things changed. We'd spent months getting ready for the event, so watching the fog arrive was heartbreaking." They added that the costs of putting on the event still had to be paid and had not been refunded to them.
Mixed Response from Visitors
Followers have given a mixed response to the announcement. One described it as "a very transparent and fair post" and said "unfortunately we cannot control the weather." Another suggested "even partial refunds or a gesture of good will would be nice," adding that it is not fair for customers to accept all of the loss.
The fog also affected visibility of displays elsewhere, including at Manchester's Platt Fields Park. The Blakemere family said they were gutted to see other displays across the country affected by fog that night.
