The promenade redevelopment scheme has claimed another victim as Douglas Council has cancelled its firework display.

Regeneration and community committee chairman Stephen Pitts said the council had decided to make the ’difficult’ decision to cancel the display.

Councillor Pitts added: ’Despite the committee’s and officers’ persistent efforts it has not proved possible to arrive at an acceptable solution for staging the display, given the current Douglas promenade redevelopment work.

’The council understands this decision will be met with disappointment.

’Alternative locations were considered at length, but none proved suitable in terms of public safety and accessibility, which are paramount for an event of this size and scale, nor could they provide the level of spectacle and quality of display for which the event is well known across the island.

Mr Pitts said that the Council ’hopes’ to be able to hold the display in 2021.

The decision to cancel the fireworks comes as yet another disappointment for the council which had already been forced to cancel its Christmas lights switch on event due to safety concerns.

The island’s fire and rescue service said it would not support Douglas Council with another switch on ceremony on North Quay, where it was held in 2019.

As a result, the local authority says it cannot find a ’suitable location to host the event’. However, ’some kind of event’ has been promised to mark the beginning of festivities in the capital

Celton Manx executive director Bill Mummery, who sponsors the display, said: ’As long-term sponsors of the Douglas fireworks display we recognise the challenges involved this year in attempting to safely deliver this major community event, which attracts crowds in their thousands. We therefore fully support the council’s decision.’