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Crackdown on shops selling fireworks outside the specified period without a licence.

On the 15 November 2007 our Trading Standards Service carried out a joint exercise with the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue to determine the extent of sales of fireworks outside the period specified by law. 

The Firework Regulations 2004 make it an offence for a trader to sell or expose for sale, fireworks outside the specified time period without a licence.  The time period for selling fireworks for Guy Fawkes Night and Diwali ran this year from 15 October to the 10 November.

After this time traders should have removed any stocks of fireworks from their shop floor and should definitely not be selling them. The officers visited 11 retail premises in the Wokingham area and found fireworks either displayed or offered for sale at 5 of the shops. The officers were able to purchase fireworks on 3 occasions.

Wokingham’s Trading Standards Service carried out a similar exercise last year. Offences disclosed prompted Wokingham officers to lead a week-long regional project involving 19 neighbouring local authorities in an attempt to gauge how widespread this problem is.

Sanctions against offenders this year could include a caution, prosecution in the Magistrates court and a review of the trader’s future suitability to hold a registration or licence.

The sale of fireworks is tightly controlled to attempt to curb anti social behaviour and reduce the level of firework related injuries experienced each year.