The opening ceremony will include a fireworks display

TOWER Hamlets Council has decided to cancel the annual November fireworks display at Victoria Park.

Cost-cutting measures by the council, which has to save £55 million from this year’s budget, have forced the popular show to be called off.

Instead there will be four ‘community-based’ events across the borough which will remain free at King Edward Memorial Park, Mile End Stadium, Millwall Park and Weaver’s Fields.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “The Victoria Park fireworks event has been successful for many years, but for too long the council has footed the entire bill for the event despite most of the people who go there living outside of the borough.

“In taking this decision, I wanted to make sure that our residents are the people who really benefit from our fantastic firework displays. We’re taking the displays out to the people of this borough.

“We are making it more accessible to our residents and giving thousands more local families a chance to enjoy fireworks for free.”

The Victoria Park display regularly attracts tens of thousands of fans from across London and is designed with a different theme every year.

But the council said it had listened to local residents, some of whom have complained at mass-participation events, in making the decision.