London fireworks: Royal Parks to close on New Year’s Eve ahead of annual fireworks display
Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park and St James’s Park will face closures and restrictions on December 31 as safety measures are put in place for London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Londoners planning to welcome in the New Year outdoors are being urged to plan ahead, as several of the capital’s Royal Parks will be closed or have restrictions in place over the New Year’s Eve period.
The Royal Parks has confirmed there are no official viewing areas for the Mayor of London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display within any Royal Park, with visitors strongly advised not to travel into central London without a ticket.
Is Primrose Hill open on New Year’s Eve?
Primrose Hill will be fully closed and locked over the key period. The park will shut at 8pm on Tuesday, 30 December, and will not reopen until 6am on Thursday, 1 January.
At Greenwich Park, pedestrian and vehicle gates are expected to close at around 6pm on December 31. In Richmond Park, vehicle gates will close earlier, at approximately 4pm, while Hyde Park will close at midnight.
Visitors should also expect disruption at St James’s Park, where access will be restricted due to the installation of fireworks infrastructure.
Road closures to be aware of
Road closures will begin at 2pm on December 31, with the east side of the park closing to the public from 5pm, including Horse Guards Road and Horse Guards Parade Ground. Restrictions will remain in place across all remaining footpaths.
The Royal Parks has reminded visitors that organising large gatherings without permission, or setting off fireworks or lanterns, breaches park regulations and may be enforced by the Metropolitan Police.
A spokesperson for The Royal Parks said there would be no official fireworks viewing areas in the parks and urged people “not to travel into London to watch the fireworks without a ticket”.
Commander Nick John, who is leading the Met’s New Year’s Eve policing operation, said the night is one of the busiest of the year, with officers deployed across all 32 London boroughs. He added that public safety remains the priority and encouraged people to avoid closed parks such as Primrose Hill and instead attend one of the many organised events taking place across the capital.