London's New Year's Eve firework display made a ticketed event

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/17/london-new-years-eve-firework-display-ticketed-event

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People wanting to attend this year's New Year's Eve fireworks display in London will have to pay.

The city's mayor, Boris Johnson, has announced that 100,000 tickets costing £10 each will be made available for the spectacle in the heart of the capital.

The event has been free until now, with an estimated 500,000 people turning up to watch last year's display. Some were unable to get a good view and others to see anything at all.

"London's New Year's Eve fireworks are phenomenally popular, not just in the capital, but across the world and we want to ensure it continues to be a safe, enjoyable and sustainable event for the long-term," Johnson said.

"After consulting with our partners, we are introducing ticketing to help manage crowd numbers and create a better experience on the night.

"For anyone without a ticket the fireworks are again being shown live and in full on television."

People will be able to book up to four tickets online from midday on 26 September.

No profit will be made on the tickets, with the money taken covering the cost of ticketing and on the extra infrastructure the decision to charge will necessitate.