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From our news archive:
1998
Happy New Year?
500 000 New Yorkers have Times Square, 250 000 Berliners have The Brandenburg Gate and 100 000 Muscovites Red Square. 80 000 Londoners have Trafalgar Square. All world-famous centres of world-famous cities. So why is London the odd one out.
Because in these other culture-capitals the city authorities lay on a full-blown civic party to welcome in the New Year. In London party-goers are actively discouraged from heading for Trafalgar Square to hear Big Ben usher in the New Year for the Western Hemisphere. It is true that there is a long history of trouble surrounding the celebrations overseen by Lord Nelson. Arrests, injuries, even deaths have long been the price to pay for shoddy organisation.
Is it so bad for Londoners to want to come together and celebrate the New Year. Is it beyond us to arrange a party for such numbers. Forget about the Millennium and the billion dollar white elephants. Why not start now to make every New Year Eve's festivities in the capital a safe and happy place for hundreds of thousands of Londoners.
The Problem? Who will organise all this...
The Answer: The new London Authority led by the Mayor
News Archive:
Trafalgar Square New Year's Eve 1997/98: 71 hurt, 27 arrests
THE madness that is Trafalgar Square at New Year continued with the passing of 1997 through to 1998. Yet again the police told people to stay away. Yet again they came in their thousands.
No drink, no entertainment , no toilets, no nothing. 80,000 sad souls, mostly young men, braved the winter night through to the chiming of Big Ben. Police were pleased that the numbers were down this year and said despite the 71 injuries and 27 arrests this year's celebrations were "peaceful".
Meanwhile wiser Londoners partied the night away in London's countless pubs, clubs and restaurants.
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