Lewes Bonfire: Cliffe Bonfire Society Cancels Participation In This Year's November 5 Commemoration

One of Lewes's seven Bonfire societies, the Cliffe Bonfire Society, said this afternoon (July 26) that its participation in November's Bonfire commemoration has been cancelled because of difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement today, the bonfire society stated:

"It is with a heavy heart that the Committee of Cliffe Bonfire Ltd, trading as Cliffe Bonfire Society, and the directors of Brightnight Ltd, formally announce that our celebration of the deliverance of King James I and Parliament from the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and its associated protection of our democracy on November 5th 2020 is cancelled."

But it promised to return "hopefully in 2021, more spectacular, louder and better than ever".

No public statement has yet been made by any of the other Lewes Bonfire societies whose members process on November 5: South Street, Commercial Square, Lewes Borough, Waterloo, or Southover.

Nevill Juvenile Bonfire Society, a society with children very much at its heart, processes through the town's Nevill area on a different night.

The Cliffe Bonfire Society's Chairman told members and supporters today that complying with likely government guidance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus among the thousand or so participants, and the many spectators, would be almost impossible for a society run by part-time volunteers.

Today's official statement pointed out that Bonfire cancellation, across the centuries, is a very unusual event:

"This is only the fourth time in our 167-year history that we will have been ‘druv’ in order to save lives, preceded by the 1960 Lewes Flood, the First and Second World Wars and the typhoid outbreak in Lewes in 1874."

The Society added that the decision was taken not only to protect the health of participants and the community, but also to avoid burdening the emergency services at a time of pandemic, when their services might be needed elsewhere.

In today's statement, the Chairman of the Cliffe Bonfire Society described the process through which the society made its choice to cancel:

"This was a difficult, but in the end, an inevitable decision.

"No one has a crystal ball and we have to assume that the virus that has plagued the world this year will not be eradicated by November 2020.

It is extremely unlikely that the government guidelines and legislation will change much in the coming months, particularly regarding: social distancing (for members and spectators); the need to ensure that no one feeling ill attends and also to register participants; provide hand sanitiser; and even take participants’ temperatures.

"These are very likely to stay in some form even for large, organised events and sports arenas.

"Last but not least, we have to accept that we would be classed as a mass gathering and therefore that we would contravene current legislation."

The Society added its hope for the next Lewes Bonfire Night:

"Rest assured, the Cliffe will be back, hopefully in 2021, more spectacular, louder and better than ever."

According to the Cliffe Bonfire Society's historians, it was formed in 1853, and has retained a degree of friendly independence from the town's six other Bonfire societies — to this day, its members do not form part of the United Grand Procession.