In the beginning - Fantastic Fireworks

In the beginning..... 

Most of us can recall a date or event which changed the course of our lives. Lottery jackpots are for the lucky few while 

romantics will name their wedding day or a blind date. For me it was something which at the time seemed far less 

auspicious. Towards the end of October 1981 I was browsing in a toyshop window. It was the firework season and in the 

fading afternoon light the brightly lit display of rockets caught my eye. 

A quick call to the importer established that these were brand new in the UK and selling fast. On Friday 5th November 

1981 a story headlined ‘German rockets invade UK firework market’ appeared in the Daily Mail, the newspaper where 

I was working. A couple of days later a huge delivery of whizz-bangs appeared out of nowhere and filled my garage. It 

was past Bonfire Night and the next big occasion was New Year’s Eve. The display that night rocked the neighbourhood. 

Unbelievable! Fantastic! You should do this for a living! It was my first experience of a WOW factor reaction. 

A couple of magazine small ads set the ball rolling. Soon the phone was ringing for the newly born Fantastic Fireworks. 

When it came to making a career choice a few years later, the lure and potential of fireworks won the day. 

Although professionalism has long since overtaken our enthusiastic beginnings, the same challenge 

still drives us today: to inspire that WOW factor from increasingly knowledgeable and sophisticated 

audiences. We have to continually reinvent ourselves and so move with changing times and 

fashions. The last 25 years have been an amazing experience propelled by amazing people who 

have helped me along the way. With an energetic and enthusiastic team to take us to new heights 

the next 25 years promise to be another exhilarating ride. 

Jon Culverhouse, Founder & Managing Director. 

Front cover: Liverpool 800. Photo: Louise Stickland.

1985..... 

.....was the year of Live Aid, Mikhail Gorbachev was appointed Soviet leader, 

Madonna released Like a Virgin, Man U won the FA Cup and Boris Becker 

won Wimbledon aged 17. Out of Africa was voted best film and Fantastic 

Fireworks was founded as the first UK company to promote fireworks as 

an all-year-round entertainment, with adverts in Private Eye magazine. 

Fireworks Fantasia, Birmingham. Photo: Business Imaging

1986..... 

.....Mike Tyson won the world heavyweight title, Halley’s Comet 

made its 75-year appearance and Jeffrey Archer resigned as Tory 

Party chairman. The Chernobyl fire caused a radiation disaster and 

Maradona’s Hand of God knocked England out of the World Cup. 

Fantastic Fireworks won its first big contract to celebrate Prince 

Andrew’s marriage to Sarah Ferguson with a display in Torbay. 

Blackheath Bonfire Night for Apricus Events. Photo: Frank McPartland

1987..... 

Corporate Event at Hampton Court. Photo: James Cannon 

.....Terry Waite was kidnapped in Beirut, 200 died in the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, Margaret 

Thatcher won a third term as Tory Prime Minister, Michael Ryan ran amok in Hungerford, 

and Michael Fish underestimated the storm of the century. Fantastic Fireworks performed 

its first show in front of the Queen, at the Jubilee of the Commonwealth Institute. The 

Dunhill Cup became golf’s first tournament to feature fireworks when Fantastic Fireworks 

provided a spectacular opening ceremony.

1988..... 

Stourhead Fete Champetre. Photo: Jon Culverhouse 

.....was the year of the Lockerbie air disaster. Michael Jackson moved into Neverland, George Bush Senior 

was elected US President and Ben Johnson was stripped of his Olympic gold medal for taking steroids. 

Fantastic Fireworks teamed up with the Pet Shop Boys and Bananarama for a live Japanese TV show 

at Brocket Hall. In November there were traffic jams on the A303 near Thruxton for the first UK pyroperformance 

of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of War of the Worlds.

1989..... 

.....The Berlin Wall fell, Salman Rushdie was placed under a fatwah, the 

Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan, SKY TV was launched, and 96 

football fans died in the Hillsborough tragedy. Fantastic Fireworks fired the 

first of 17 Bonfire Night displays for Dudley Council at Himley Hall. We 

also hit the headlines when a 69-year-old scientist commissioned us to 

scatter his ashes from one of our giant rockets. ‘Of course I won’t be there 

to see it,’ he said, ‘and I am certainly hoping it doesn’t come too soon!’ 

RHS Gala, Hampton Court Flower Show.

1990..... 

.....was the year Nelson Mandela was released from prison and Gazza 

cried. West Germany won Italia 90, John Major succeeded Margaret 

Thatcher as Prime Minister, and the worldwide web was created. Iraq 

invaded Kuwait, triggering the first Gulf War and Vanilla Ice reached 

No 1 with Ice Ice Baby. Fantastic Fireworks launched a QE2 cruise 

from Southampton and moved to Rocket Park, a 16-acre farm just off 

Junction 10 of the M1 near Luton. 

Royal Festival Hall 50th Anniversary. Photo: Frank McPartland

1991..... 

.....Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, Operation 

Desert Storm liberated Kuwait and the Beirut hostages were released. 

Robert Maxwell was found dead after the collapse of his business 

empire and Bryan Adams stayed 16 weeks at No1 with Everything I 

Do. Fantastic Fireworks fired its first display at Drayton Manor Park, 

marking the start of a 19-year association. 

Opening of Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth.

1992..... 

SKY TV at Arsenal. Photo: Colorsport 

.....was the Queen’s Annus Horribilus, and not just because it was the year Mr Blobby arrived. Charles and Diana split and 

Windsor Castle was badly damaged by fire. Bill Clinton was elected US President, John Major kept the Tories in power and 

Nigel Mansell won his first Formula 1 championship. Ecstasy took on a new meaning as the Shamen reached Number 

1 with Ebeneezer Goode. Fantastic Fireworks were the first UK company to provide stadium spectaculars for SKY TV’s 

Monday night football coverage with displays at leading clubs including Manchester City, Southampton and Arsenal.

1993..... 

Bruno-Lewis World Title Fight for SKY TV at Cardiff Arms Park. Photo: David Amabilino 

.....Film star River Phoenix died and John Wayne Bobbit gained notoriety after his wife performed a little home surgery. 

Schindler’s List won the Oscar for Best Film and the Grand National was abandoned after a starting tape fiasco. 

Fantastic Fireworks staged boxing’s first world title display, a stunning rooftop show at Cardiff Arms Park for SKY TV at 

the Lennox Lewis-Frank Bruno fight.

1994..... 

.....American Football and movie star OJ Simpson was acquitted of 

murdering his wife, the National Lottery was launched and the Channel 

Tunnel opened. Nelson Mandela became the first black leader of South 

Africa, Fred West was convicted for the Cromwell Street murders and 

Manchester United won the FA Cup. Fantastic Fireworks was back in 

the ring for SKY with a jet-propelled entrance for Chris Eubank. We also 

provided Edinburgh’s first major Hogmanay display. 

Shirley Bassey at Cardiff Castle for IMG. Photo: Frank McPartland

1995..... 

.....Damien Hirst won the Turner Prize with a pickled cow, city trader 

Nick Leeson caused the collapse of Barings Bank, a terrorist group 

struck the Tokyo Underground with poison gas, and Sony launched 

the Playstation. Robbie Williams left Take That and Frank Bruno 

won his world heavyweight crown. Fantastic Fireworks was at 

Wembley for British boxing’s proudest moment. We were also big 

in Birmingham for the merger celebrations of Lloyds Bank and TSB. 

Thorpe Park Halloween Display. Photo: Frank McPartland

1996..... 

.....was the year of the Dunblane massacre. Madonna gave birth 

to daughter Lourdes, Lisa Marie Presley filed for divorce from 

Michael Jackson and Charles divorced Diana. ‘Swampy’ found 

fame on the Newbury Bypass and British beef farmers faced ruin 

over the BSE scare. Fantastic Fireworks ‘starred’ in a TESCO TV 

commercial featuring a housewife called Mrs Jarvis who returns 

home from a shopping trip to find her garden lit up by fireworks. 

Leeds Castle Summer Concerts. Photo: Jon Culverhouse

1997..... 

.....was the year Princess Diana died. Tony Blair ended 18 

years of Tory rule, Hong Kong was returned to China and 

Tiger Woods became the youngest winner of the US Masters 

at the age of 21. Dolly the Sheep was cloned and Fantastic 

Fireworks were crowned winners of the first British Fireworks 

Championship in Plymouth. The year ended on another high 

when we staged London’s first New Year’s Eve display. 

London New Year’s Eve for the Evening Standard. Photo: Frank McPartland

1998..... 

Peugeot 206 Launch for David Clarke Associates. Photo: Frank McPartland 

.....Frank Sinatra, died at the age of 82 and Gerri Halliwell left the Spice Girls. Posh and 

Becks got engaged, Viagra was launched, and 18-year-old Michael Owen became the youngest 

footballer to play for England. Sunny Delight was launched, and transsexual Dana won 

the Eurovision Song Contest. Fantastic Fireworks opened Britain’s first dedicated training 

establishment, the Fireworks Training School, and helped launch the Peugeot 206. We also 

received the year’s most unusual commission, for a piece of firework lettering which read: ‘Better 

that the whole world be destroyed and perish utterly than that a free man should refrain from a 

single act to which his nature moves him.’ It was commissioned by the White Cube gallery and 

hung in the Museum of Modern Art in Paris. It measured 166ft in length.

1999..... 

British Gas Millennium Concert for CSS Stellar. Photo: Frank McPartland 

.....BBC TV presenter Jill Dando was shot dead and there was a total eclipse of the sun over Britain. Jennifer Lopez launched 

her music career, Ali G made his TV debut, GM crops appeared and Posh and Becks got married along with Prince Edward 

and Sophie Rhys-Jones. Manchester United completed the Treble as European Champions. As Millennium fever gripped 

the country, Fantastic Fireworks was Britain’s busiest firework company, including shows at McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, 

Rowan Atkinson’s Millennium bash and the British Gas Millennium concert at Greenwich.

2000..... 

.....George Bush Junior was elected US President, Concorde 

crashed in Paris, and Russell Crowe and Gladiator both won 

Oscars. Steve Redgrave won a 5 th successive Olympic gold 

and Bob the Builder hit No 1 with Can We Fix It? Fantastic 

Fireworks opened a Manchester office and celebrated 

Millennium Year with the ultimate firework number plate 5 

NOV! Craig won TV’s first Big Brother and Fantastic Fireworks 

created plenty of oohs and aahs at the live finale. 

Himley Bonfires. Photo: Business Imaging

2001..... 

.....was the year of 9/11. Britain was hit by the Foot and Mouth 

outbreak, the Eden Project opened and Robbie Williams and 

Nicole Kidman signed off the year at No 1 with Something 

Stupid. Fantastic Fireworks were in action for the Last Night 

of Wembley Stadium, witnessed by an all-star cast of Pele, 

Bobby Charlton and a host of other sporting legends. The 

company were also winners in the Daily Telegraph/Energis 

Customer Service Awards. 

Last Night of Wembley Stadium for CSS Stellar. Photo: Frank McPartland

2002..... 

.....the SARS virus struck, Will Young won Pop Idol and the Queen 

celebrated her Golden Jubilee. Princess Margaret and the Queen 

Mother died, David Seaman let in that goal and Brazil won the 

World Cup. Fantastic Fireworks helped Arsenal celebrate the Double 

and lit up Liverpool with Britain’s first triple rooftop display, on The 

Three Graces. 

Queen’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations, Liverpool. Photo: Business Imaging

2003..... 

.....was the year Jonny Wilkinson’s last-minute drop goal won the rugby World Cup 

for England. Brian Lara scored cricket’s highest individual innings of 501, Army 

major Charles Ingram cheated on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and Saddam 

Hussein was overthrown. Britain basked in the hottest summer since 1976, 

congestion charging came to London and David Beckham signed for Real Madrid. 

Fantastic Fireworks launched the UK’s biggest firework of the year, a 16-inch gold 

kamuro at Leeds Castle, Kent, and staged the 

country’s biggest Bonfire Night display, 

at Blackheath. 

Leeds Castle Bonfire Night. Photo: Frank McPartland

2004..... 

.....The company opened a new purpose-built office and 

training centre, staged a display for the sponsors of the 

Cannes Film Festival and helped Gibraltar celebrate the 300 th 

anniversary of British rule. We also fired a display for the 

topping out of the New Wembley Stadium, attended by Tony 

Blair and David Beckham, and became the first UK company 

to stage a display on a Cathedral as part 

of Liverpool’s European Capital 

of Culture build-up 

(see right and front cover). 

Topping out at the new Wembley Stadium for Tony Ball Associates. 

Photo: Goff Photos 

Liverpool Roman Catholic Cathedral, New Year’s Eve 2004. Photo: Business Imaging

2005..... 

Philip Green Party. Photo: Jon Culverhouse 

.....Pope John Paul died, the London bombers struck, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans 

and Ellen MacArthur sailed into the record books. Fantastic Fireworks performed at the year’s 

most lavish party, for retail billionaire Philip Green in the south of France, and returned there to 

represent Britain at the International Fireworks Festival in Cannes.

2006..... 

…Chelsea retained the Premiership title, Arsenal were beaten by Barcelona 

in the Champions League Final and England flopped in the World Cup. Israel 

invaded Lebanon, Pluto was relegated from the planets and Aussie wildlife 

legend Steve Irwin was killed by a giant stingray. The Queen celebrated her 

80th birthday and Tony Blair started the countdown to his resignation as Prime 

Minister. Fantastic Fireworks started the year in Russia with a display at the 

magnificent Catherine Palace in 

St Petersburg, created a world record by 

launching 56,645 rockets on Plymouth 

Sound, and won Britain’s biggest firework 

contract, to help Liverpool celebrate its 

year as European Capital of Culture in 

2008. Our 21st anniverary year ended in 

spectacular style with a display at Brocket 

Hall for Britain’s richest man, the steel 

magnate Lakshmi Mittal. 

World record rocket launch, Plymouth. Photo: Richard Kempton, Business Imaging.

2007..... 

…was the year England lost the Ashes in Australia and three-year-old Madeleine 

McCann went missing in Portugal. Gordon Brown became Prime Minister and the 

smoking ban became nationwide. Social networking site Facebook hit the headlines 

along with croc shoes. British motor racing sensation Lewis Hamilton was 

pipped for the Formula One title and England lost the Rugby World Cup Final to 

South Africa. The Northern Rock crisis hit financial markets, 

Pavarotti died and Pakistan’s former 

President Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. 

Fantastic Fireworks staged Europe’s 

biggest display of the year to celebrate 

the City of Liverpool’s 800th birthday. 

Liverpool 800 celebrations. Photo: Jon Culverhouse

2008..... 

…the year of the credit crunch & the stock market plunge…the Beijing 

Olympics are hailed the best ever… Dmitry Medvedev is elected Russian 

president... apple launch the iphone…the Large Hadron Collider is 

inaugurated in Switzerland and promptly breaks down…Fidel Castro 

resigns as Cuba’s President…Manchester United win the Champions 

League…Barack Obama is elected first black President of the United 

States…Fantastic Fireworks launches Liverpool’s year as European 

Capital of Culture, is centre stage 

in the TV commercial re-launching 

Cadbury’s Wispa & travels to 

the South of France for a 

spectacular wedding. 

French Riviera Wedding display. Photo: Jon Culverhouse

2009..... 

…swine flu sweeps the world…an Air France jumbo jet crashes in the 

Atlantic killing all 228 on board…England regain the Ashes…Rio de Janeiro is 

announced as the host of the 2016 Olympics…Susan Boyle hits the headlines 

in the tv show Britain’s Got Talent…the world is in mourning over the death 

of Michael Jackson…the Treaty of Lisbon is ratified…Fantastic Fireworks is in 

the south of France for a mammoth wedding display, in Hull for the Freedom 

Festival and launches Drayton Manor 

Park’s 60th birthday celebrations with 

the UK’s biggest fireworks 

and laser display. 

Drayton Manor Park’s 60th Anniversary display. Photo: Gareth Mitchell.

2010..... 

…our 25th anniversary starts in style, with a towering 

display from the roof of the Hyatt Regency Hotel to 

celebrate New Year for Birmingham City Council. 

web: www.fantasticfireworks.co.uk 

email: info@fantasticfireworks.co.uk 

Fantastic Fireworks 

(Head Office) 

Rocket Park 

Half Moon Lane 

Pepperstock 

Hertfordshire LU1 4LL 

Tel: 01582 485555 

Fax: 01582 485545 

Birmingham New Year’s Eve. Photo: Jon Culverhouse 

Fantastic Fireworks 

(Northern Office) 

Yarwood Heath Lane 

Rostherne 

Altrincham 

Cheshire WA14 3SD 

Tel: 01565 930800 

Fax: 01565 830909

In the beginning - Fantastic Fireworks

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