Bonfire Night display planned for home city of Guy Fawkes

York Council has confirmed it is backing the event on the city’s racecourse on November 5 after the decision was taken not to stage displays after 2005 - the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot - due to the costs involved.

A spokeswoman for the council, which is battling to make cuts totalling £19.7m over the next two years on annual operating costs of about £124m, stressed, however, that the display will not cost taxpayers anything.

While the authority is supporting the event, funding is being provided by a private company, Rat Race Adventure Sports, although the exact budget has yet to be finalised.

York Council’s cabinet member for leisure, culture and tourism, Coun Sonja Crisp, said: “As the birthplace of Guy Fawkes, we pledged last year that York would commemorate November 5 this year in style. We’ve been working hard with partners to ensure this happens – it’s going to be a night to remember.”

The exact location where Fawkes was born in York in 1570 remains a topic of debate, although he was baptised in St Michael-le-Belfry in High Petergate, in the shadow of the city’s famous Minster. His father, Edward, was laid to rest at the same church when his son was aged only seven. Fawkes and two of his fellow conspirators, John and Christopher Wright, who attempted to blow up Parliament and King James I on November 5, 1605, were educated at St Peter’s School in York. However, the school has always decided against the ritual of burning an effigy of the conspirator.

Tickets for the November 5 display are due to go on sale in the coming weeks.

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