The New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration in London, which was expected to mark the beginning of 2024 with joy and excitement, has come under heavy criticism as ticketholders have expressed outrage over disorganization, unsafe conditions, and overcrowding. The event, held at Victoria Embankment, was meant to commemorate 10 years of gay marriage in the UK, 75 years of the NHS, and honour the King’s Coronation, but instead, it left many attendees demanding refunds.

Despite a 33 per cent increase in ticket prices to £20 per person, approximately 100,000 people flocked to the sold-out event, hoping to witness the renowned Thameside fireworks display. However, their expectations turned to frustration and disappointment as they encountered numerous issues, including overcrowded conditions and poor crowd management.

Ticketholder Nikolaj Hansen-Turton penned an open letter to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, detailing his harrowing experience. He described how he waited in a queue that barely moved, covering a mere 100 meters in two hours. Eventually, he was advised by police to abandon the event due to the “very unsafe and scary” crowd behaviour. Hansen-Turton called for refunds for all Pink section ticketholders and demanded an apology from the event organizers, along with potential travel compensation.

Other ticketholders shared their grievances on social media, emphasizing the disorganization, lack of communication, and overcrowding they encountered.

Despite allegations from multiple ticketholders that the event had been oversold, City Hall refuted these claims, placing blame on individuals who arrived with fake tickets. According to City Hall, the presence of such ticket holders resulted in entry refusals and subsequent delays at the event’s entrance points.

Real ticketholders joined the chorus of complaints, calling for refunds and sharing their harrowing experiences. Software developer Mihir claimed to have waited four hours before the gates were closed ahead of the fireworks display, while speech therapist Smruthi Venkat reported “extremely hideous crowd management.” Others labelled the event as “insanely unsafe,” and one attendee even recounted having to shield children from potential harm after they were separated from their parents in the chaotic crowds.

City Hall responded to the numerous complaints, apologizing for the attendees’ negative experiences and directing them to email the Mayor of London’s official inbox for further resolution. The event, which featured 12,000 fireworks, 600 drones, 430 lights, and a star-studded soundtrack, was the largest New Year’s Eve celebration in London’s history, attracting over 100,000 ticket-holders.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London acknowledged the majority of attendees had enjoyed the display but expressed regret that some had not. The spokesperson praised the efforts of event stewards, traffic schemes, and security policies designed to ensure the safety of everyone present.

Regarding the overselling allegations, the Mayor’s spokesperson clarified that the event had not been oversold, reiterating that only tickets purchased from the authorized outlet AXS were valid for New Year’s Eve. They also noted that fake tickets had led to delays at entry points and assured that City Hall was collaborating with the Metropolitan Police to combat the sale of counterfeit tickets.