Railway station to close for night of bonfire celebrations
In the interests of public safety, we have been advised that Southern Rail will close Rye station from 3pm on the day of the Rye Bonfire (13 November).
The ongoing effects of Covid-19 unfortunately means there aren’t enough drivers to run the extra trains Southern would usually provide to help the event run smoothly.
Additionally, a shortage of bus drivers means an alternative service isn’t possible, as buses are being used to keep passengers moving elsewhere on the network where engineering work is happening.
As with many other bonfire activities across the region, the advice is for people to attend their local events rather than travelling too far afield.
Customer services director Chris Fowler said: “We know how important the Rye Bonfire event is to the wider community and have looked at every alternative. However, in the interests of public safety we unfortunately can’t keep Rye station open this year as we usually would.”
Rye Bonfire Society supports and welcomes the station closure; it will help curb any potential for antisocial behaviour in the town making the event safer and easier to run.
For further information please contact Southern Rail via this link.
Rye Bonfire Programme 2021
ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS – RYE BONFIRE WEBSITE WILL BE UPDATED IF AND WHEN CHANGES OCCUR – LAST UPDATE 05.11.21
On Saturday, November 13, all streets on the processional route in Rye town centre will be closed to traffic from approximately 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
Please note that there is no parking on the processional route from approximately 4:30pm.
From approximately 4:30pm vehicular access to the town will be severely restricted and all vehicles are cleared from the procession route. Any vehicles on the procession route will be removed by recovery trucks.
For car parking, Gibbet Marsh car park is adjacent to the procession start point at Mason Road and situated off the Rye to Battle road B2089 (TN31 7BE).
Please Note – there is disabled parking concession for up to 20 vehicles (blue badge holders only) at the east end of what is normally the coach park adjacent to Rye railway station, approximately 300m from the bonfire site.
The A259 Folkestone – Hastings trunk route will be closed at times between 8pm and 9:30pm to allow the procession and crowds to pass and will be subject to long delays at all other times. Please be aware that is unlikely that you will allowed out of your car park before about 10:30pm.
Motorists and HGVs are therefore advised to use the M20 / A28 Tenterden – Northiam route from Dover and Folkestone to Hastings and Eastbourne if traveling on the evening of November 13.
Rye Bonfire Timetable
4:30pm – Parking restrictions apply to processional route.
6:30pm – Vehicular access restrictions apply.
6:30pm – Processional route to be clear of all vehicles
7:50pm – Loud maroon signals the start of the procession from Mason Road, Tilling Green
The route is as follows – Ferry Road to the Crown Inn, turn left into Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, through Landgate Arch, Hilders Cliff (East Cliff) in to High Street, The Mint, turn right into Wish Ward, Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, left down Landgate, right into Bedford Place and on to the Bonfire site.
8:30pm – The chairing down of Rye Fawkes 2021
8:45pm – The bonfire lit by Rye Fawkes 2021
9:00pm – Grand fireworks display
Please show your appreciation for the evening’s events
The Rye Bonfire Society receives no financial support from public funds in staging this event, which now costs over £10,000 a year to set-up and manage. All necessary funding is raised by voluntary contributions, programme sales and advertising, fund-raising events and street collections on the night. Without the support of the town’s traders, citizens and visitors, the event could not take place. If you wish the Rye Bonfire to continue as the premier social event in the district’s calendar, please give generously.
Please do not purchase ‘glow bands’ or any other such merchandise from street traders, they are operating illegally, and we do not get any benefit from them.
However please feel free to make a donation to one of our official Rye Bonfire collectors on the night!
Safety Notice
Rye & District Bonfire Society would like to stress that this is very much a family-oriented evening. Discharging of any form of fireworks and flares will not be tolerated before, during, or after the procession. The police will take action against members of the public, or visiting societies, who discharge any form of pyrotechnic in a public place.
Please do not pick up discarded torches, that is the job for the firecarts at the rear of the procession.
Marshals protect the whole route. If they advise you to move away, please follow their instructions, they are concerned about your safety.
At the fire site, please remain outside of the barriers, it is dangerous inside. We cannot be held responsible for any loss or injury sustained by people crossing safety barriers.
This is a traditional custom, not a carnival or ordinary fireworks display, it can be loud and frightening, there will be fire and very loud bangs. Keep children with you and do not push them to the front. If you are nervous, worried, or have a medical condition, we respectfully suggest you keep away.
Please do not bring any pets!
The Rye & District Bonfire Society do not accept responsibility for any personal injury, loss or damage to personal property and remind you that you attend all our events entirely at your own risk.
Image Credits: Tony Ham .
Can I raise a question about transport.
Pre-Covid I watched society members being collected in the district minibus transporter week after week as they travelled to each and every event from a long list of villages. My question is who pays for this transport? Are bonfire accounts available to view? I’d like to see how £10,000 goes up in smoke each year.
With reference to the above comment when I did the transport for the other bonfires the individual members paid for it themselves with no cost to Rye Bonfire Society. With regards to the cost there are more items to cover than just fireworks and the finances were audited each year.
Thanks for your reply.
I would like to confirm Andie’s response – the group travelling on the night is responsible for covering the cost of the transport (as with any group using our transport, from schools to WIs). I do think that ‘Guy Fawkes’ is being somewhat naive in wondering how £10,000 goes up in smoke each year – start with insurance, a very significant part of the cost. As with any registered company the accounts can be viewed on the Companies House website.
Not at all naive. Simply wondering who paid for society members transport week after week as it was something I noticed. I’m sure all the accounts are absolutely fine. It was just an inquiry. I’m well aware £10,000 doesn’t go far nowadays!
Guy Fawkes (why can’t we know who this actually is?) must be really naive if he imagines £10k goes anywhere near the cost of putting on a public event like Rye Bonfire. Does he imagine road closures and policing are free? Public liability insurance? The cost of public standard pyrotechnics of the quality shown in Rye? His implications about buses reveal some sort of resentment. Implication of fiddling is not at all appreciated.
Rye Bonfire Society gives freely of time and effort it is very hard work. Instead of nit picking why not help?
Well done, typical thoughtless planning. How exactly are people who live in Rye supposed to get home if trains are not stopping at Rye Station ? And why were Southern Railways selling train tickets for Rye without giving warning or advice so alternative plans could be made ?
I would think that the fact that the trains weren’t stopping meant that more people had to drive to Rye for the event, which, in addition to increased air pollution, also increased the pressure to find someplace to park (the verges on Military Road were packed all the way to Houghton Green Lane), and also the worries about people driving home having consumed generously of alcoholic beverages. Not that it’s pleasant travelling on a train with crowds of drunken revellers, but to remove the option of public transportation seems a bad idea.
Well done to Rye bonfire society for an excellent show that you put on Saturday evening, to the sponsors,and everyone who helped make it such a success.
Thank you, John, for your positive comments which I echo. Rye Bonfire Society and all associated with organising last Saturday’s event deserve credit for an excellent show. The closing firework display was spectacular. Well done!