A BONFIRE society has announced it will be charging an admission fee for the first time ahead of this year’s Lewes celebrations.

Waterloo Bonfire Society, which hosts the largest and most popular fireworks site at the event, will be charging a £3 admission fee for its display on Malling Brooks.

The society has been at the Malling Brooks site for 27 years and has never charged an entrance fee in its 50 year history – until now.

Society members say the admission fee is needed to cover rising costs of securing the site and meeting health and safety obligations.

This year the site will be fenced off and spectators will need to purchase wristbands to enter, which will be sold from 5pm on the night.

Society chairman Paul Slot said: “This is obviously a big decision but one that we have considered very carefully.

“We have a very large, central fire site which is very popular as we are renowned for the quality of our firework display, bonfire, tableau and effigies.

“We have an increasing number of spectators on the site each year and the costs associated with that have increased significantly.

“We want to ensure that all visitors to our site not only experience a fantastic display but are also safe and that we meet all of our safety obligations.

“As with all Lewes societies we are entirely self-funded and rely solely on the generosity of local businesses and individuals and the hard fund-raising work carried on all year by our members.”

Mr Slot said this year’s display promises to be “the best ever” as the society celebrates its half-century anniversary.

He added: “We have kept the admission fee as low as possible. We are not looking to make a profit but simply to cover our costs of putting on the show.

"We very much hope that spectators will continue to support us and will understand why we have had to take this action.”

Society secretary Amanda French said Waterloo was the second-to-last group to start charging admission.

She added: “All the others charge now apart from Commercial – but we’re the biggest and get about four times as many people.”

Lewes Bonfire clebrations return on November 5.