Visiting societies info

Our headquarters is the White Rock Hotel and there will be a temporary bar area set up inside which is available to all societies and groups.  Various loos are available there.

2024 Grand Procession to Celebrate the Discovery of The Gunpowder Plot: -

The Amexrica Ground Banner and Group

[roadsign letter A - near the traffic lights]

HBBS Banners & Maces

Giant Effigy

Hastings Borough Bonfire Society

The Mayor, & Honourable Guests 

Members of the RNLI (200th Anniversary)

[roadsign letter B]

Section 5 Drummers

Lewes South Street Bonfire Society

Ewhurst and Staplecross Bonfire Society

Robertsbridge Bonfire Society

Raven Drummers

[roadsign letter C]

Battel Bonfire Society

Ninfield Bonfire Society

Sambalanco

Northiam Bonfire Society

Rye and District Bonfire Society

[roadsign letter D]

Ryebellion Drummers

Lewes Cliffe Bonfire Society

Nevill Juvenille Bonfire Society

Chiddingly Parish Bonfire Society

Drumskullz

[roadsign letter E]

South Heighton Bonfire Society

Lewes Southover Bonfire Society

Eastbourne Bonfire Society

Stix Drummers

Burgess Hill Bonfire Society

Lewes Commercial Square Bonfire Society

[roadsign letter F]

Celebration Samba  

Lewes Waterloo Bonfire Society

Littlehampton Bonfire Society

Who The Devil Are We

Sambattalion

[roadsign letter G]

Firle Bonfire Society

Newick Bonfire Society

East Hoathly & Halland Bonfire Society

Fishbone Ash

Other visiting Societies

HBBS Blazing Firecarts

[roadsign letter H - towards the pier]

• Only members of this Society or members of other recognised societies officially invited, in writing by the Society, may walk with us. All members must be in one of the Society’s official recognised costumes. 

• Do not invite non-members (friends, family or children) to join in the procession. We are not responsible for people marching with us who are not members of the Society and they will be asked to leave the procession as they will be at risk. Visiting societies that recognise child members are most welcome. You attend under both your own rules and under HBBS rules

• Whenever in a procession with the Society, we walk in orderly ranks of three (one on each side of the road and one in the middle).  This presents the Society at its best, and allows space for easy movement of marshals, torch runners, and other officials.

• We keep a torch-and-arm-length distance from the person in front of us and next to us. Be aware of those in front of you as sometimes a procession may suddenly halt.

• Officers and marshals will organise the forming of ranks in the procession, and maintain them throughout.  If you ignore the instructions of a marshal you may be asked to leave the procession.

Your society’s marshals need to be clearly identified e.g. by a fluorescent armband, or badge, (available from our HQ)

Ours are traditional hessian torches and, if cared for, will last for the duration of the procession.  If the flame begins to die out just tap on the road to open up the hessian and it should relight. Please do not swing them about or drop them near or under vehicles or spectators.

Flaming torches are an important and spectacular part of the procession.  Torches are available at the beginning and specified points during the procession.

• Your torch should be kept with you, and not handed on to anybody else beyond other known members of your own society.  Under no circumstances must torches be given to members of the public.

• Only light up when instructed to do so.

• Once you have a lighted torch use it until it is spent.

• When a torch is spent or becoming dangerous discard it in the gutter for collection.

• Discard torches away from large numbers of spectators and parked cars.

• Avoid making mini bonfires

• Torches should be held upright above head height in front of you and to one side or other of your face (as the wind blows) and please be aware of distances from those down-wind from you.  Unlit torches are carried downwards. Torches must not be put over shoulders or held out at angles. Be especially careful that there is a safe distance from your lit torch and members of the public. Torches must not be swung around, carried or moved about in such a way that they can cause damage to other members, spectators or buildings.

• Take care with torches near Society banners.

• Do not kick or play games with any lit torches or torch heads that are on the ground where there are ANY members of the public. Any torch or torch head that might cause a trip hazard should be carefully moved to a safe place such as the edge of the road with a boot.

• Hastings Borough Bonfire Society endorses the Sussex Bonfire Council recommendation that children under ten years of age should not use torches however at our bonfire we accept children of 10 years and older carrying torches subject to parental judgement that the particular child is suitable to carry a torch and that the parent constantly supervises their child in the procession.  Society officials will not issue torches to such children as the parents must hold that torch ownership for their children.

• Under no circumstances must anybody go ANYWHERE near the net sheds or the Cyril and Lilian Bishop (historic lifeboat) with a torch, whether lighted or not!  Offenders will be dealt with promptly.

• At the end of the procession we throw our torches onto the fire together.  Do not throw your torch onto the fire until signaled to do so,  as we like to say the Bonfire Chant together before we all light the bonfire.

• Please avoid throwing your torch over the bonfire as (a) it will not light the bonfire, and (b) it may hit someone from another society on the other side of the bonfire.  Just don’t be silly please.  This is H&S and it is important.

Torches are lit by HBBS Assembly Crew when in Robertson Street (not as in recent years at the approach to the entrance to Robertson Street but a little later this year).

This will be a few yards later than in previous years - after having entered Robertson Street. 

We hope to greet you with a firecracker point once you're lit up.

Children who are members of our (or your) society may now carry torches from the age of 10 and upwards at the discretion of their parents, assuming permitted by your own society rules.  Parents need to make an assessment of their child / children’s physical and mental capacity to carry a torch in a responsible and safe manner and take responsibility for supervising them in any torch carrying they allow.

• The designated adult member must accompany the junior at all times.  

• The adult member is totally responsible for the well-being and behaviour of the child/children.

• The adult member may be appropriately disciplined if the child behaves in a manner that could be dangerous or bring the Society into disrepute.

• Please select an appropriate torch for your child (not too heavy)

• Your child should be in the middle rank with one or more parent flanked to one or both sides

• The procession is quite long, if the torch is becoming too heavy please take the torch to give your child a rest

• Non-members of your society may not accompany juniors/adults processing.

• Our society allows juniors over the age of 10 to carry lighted torches.  Other societies may have different rules that also need to be followed.  In any case, the responsible parent adult member needs to remain responsible for the conduct of their juniors and personally decide if they are able to carry a torch, and we advise to choose a lightweight torch for them.

Please note: It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure their child’s safety, and the safety of those around them

Having processed up All Saints Street and down the High Street, the procession will pass round Winkle Island, so re-torching at the Stade will be convenient.

Banners will be re-torched at the Stade (west of Eat@the stade café, Old Town).  We don't expect the procession will need re-torching.  If your torch starts to fade, a couple of gentle taps on the ground should revive it.)

• The discharge of fireworks in a public place is a criminal offence.

• The Society cannot be held responsible for any arrest, prosecution or any insurance or similar claim against any member who chooses to use fireworks incorrectly or illegally.

• The Society does not accept the throwing or misuse of fireworks in any circumstances.

• All projectiles are banned except as part of an organised display.

• Members of Hastings Borough Bonfire Society are not insured to throw ‘bangers’ or ‘rookies’. Many societies ban them though some societies allow these in designated private firework areas. Any person, whether an HBBS member, another society member or others,  throwing ‘rookies’ / ‘bangers’ will be personally liable for any accident or insurance claim that may arise from their actions. Furthermore the Sussex Bonfire Council do not permit any “bangers” larger than a “rookie”, Spanish number two, or small Chinese.

Parachute flares are banned from the event. In date Category 1 flares are permitted. Please use responsibly and safely.

• Users must be in the middle row of 3. 

• Spent cartridges must be dropped into fire carts or held until safe (cool) to drop on the roadside.

• Misfires: misfires that are live and dropped on the floor, put your foot on the handle part of the flare until extinguished, then treat as a spent cartridge

• Flares that do not activate, keep until you reach a water tub or the bonfire

Pushchairs are permitted, at parental discretion so long as they are well away from the fire carts and cracker points. Please keep young children away from any burning torches, sparks smokes and ensure they have safety protection.  Pushchairs cannot be taken onto the beach but must stay on the paved area.

Wheelchairs, members with limited mobility should assess the risk to themselves before joining the procession. There is a designated area which is wheelchair accessible near Pelham Place toilets.

Any bands or dancers in the procession are there at the request of the Society to make our event more colourful and interesting for the public.  Musical instruments and uniforms are expensive.

• Do not scorch uniforms or instruments.

• Do not pass too close to bands, or pass through their ranks.

• Society members found harassing bands will be asked to leave the procession and will be subject to discipline by the Society.

Trained first aiders (St John Ambulance again this year) will be in attendance along with marshals and members of the emergency services who should be made aware if you require medical attention. 

The Tri-arg medical centre is located at the west end of George Street. (See diagram on previous text on the fire-site safety.

The emergency services are there to help us put on a safe and well organised event as well as to protect us and members of the public.  The directions of the emergency services must be followed, even if this deviates from our original plans.  It is the job of the officers of the Society to liaise with all the emergency services and make any decisions that need to be made. Please comply with these decisions/directions.

Here is a link to our 2024-25 public liability insurance certificate covering all our legal entities (Hastings Borough Bonfire Society Ltd, Hastings Bonfire Trust, Renegade Pyrotechnics Ltd)

Our bonfire will be built from softwood and as such will get very hot especially if there is a sea breeze.

St. John Ambulance first aid point will be at the western end of George Street.

No glass is allowed on the fire-site or in the procession.  Otherwise, we hope you enjoy sitting around our bonfire afterwards and chatting with us all.

There will be marked exit routes from the fire-site to use; safely avoiding the firework area and members of the public. See enclosed fire-site plan. We have contingency exit plans in place in case of crush incidents - follow the instructions of our marshals if they direct.