Bonfire Night 2025: Edinburgh doubles firework ban zones, including at Corstorphine zoo after red panda death

Firework bans will be introduced in nine areas of the city over Bonfire Night in November, including Corstorphine where the zoo is situated.

Members of the city council’s culture and communities committee on Thursday voted to reintroduce fireworks control zones (FCZs) in Balerno, Calton Hill, Niddrie and Seafield, which were subject to temporary restrictions last year.

And councillors also backed additional bans in Corstorphine, Moredun, Gracemount, Longstone and Sighthill. All nine zones will run from October 31 until November 9.

The decision to double the number of control zones came after community groups and residents were invited to apply for bans in their local area in March. The council said the public consultation on the proposals which followed found “overwhelming support” backing their introduction.

The bans in Corstorphine, Moredun, Gracemount, Longstone and Sighthill were each requested by locals through the process.

The council said it would consider introducing control zones in areas where there is concern about the misuse of fireworks, environmental protection, animal welfare and the impact on vulnerable communities.

The application for the ban in Corstorphine was aimed at reducing the impact on animals at Edinburgh Zoo.

Last year a three-month-old red panda Roxie died at the zoo on Bonfire Night, prompting owners to call for tighter restrictions on firework use

Edinburgh Zoo welcomed the decision, with deputy chief executive, Ben Supple, saying: “We are very grateful to the council for creating a fireworks exclusion zone around Edinburgh Zoo.

“Roxie the baby red panda sadly choked to death on her sick last Bonfire Night and it is very likely that this was due to stress from fireworks. The loud bangs would have been incredibly frightening for her and fireworks may have also contributed to the death of her mum Ginger five days earlier.

“Firework exclusion zones are an important step to protect animals in zoos, pets, horses, livestock and wildlife. We are also supporting calls from animal welfare charities to ban the sale of fireworks to the public, with only drone or light displays used at organised events.”

The Longstone ban is also targeted at reducing harms to animals and “vulnerable communities”. The other three zones are meant to reduce general fireworks misuse.

Residents in Greenbank also requested a FCZ, but officers said there was not enough evidence from other public bodies to proceed with it.

Edinburgh culture and communities convener, Councillor Margaret Graham, said: “We want everyone to be able to enjoy Bonfire Night safely and responsibly and these FCZs are part of our efforts to ensure that.

“The new FCZs being introduced are based on community requests and respond to real concerns around the safety of people and animals in these areas. This is in addition to the FCZs first introduced last year, which we found had a really positive effect.

“This is just one tool for minimising the negative impact of fireworks at this time of year and we’ll continue to work closely with partners to look at different ways of addressing the issue.”

Edinburgh City Council’s website said once an FCZ has been agreed, Police Scotland would seek to enforce with the maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine or a six-month custodial sentence. The council said the bans would also align with any dispersal zones planned by Police Scotland around Bonfire Night.

It was separately announced this month that three Glasgow areas - Govanhill, Pollokshields and Broomhouse - would have the city’s first firework ban introduced in November after they were officially designated as FCZs.