I live in Staffordshire. It’s a lovely area. Actually, if you need me to be accurate I’d say South Staffordshire. It’s so “South” that we’re a few miles away from the lovely West Midlands which is where I was brought up. Yes, I do have the remnants of a “Black Country Accent” and I’ve even visited the famous Black Country Museum. It’s a “living museum” and you’ll find people dressed in old clothes, living in old houses and driving around in old cars or carts ….. and that’s before you even go inside. ;)
(I’m now going to see how long it will be before I get several emails from locals who’ve had a sense-of-humour bypass.)
Seriously though, pay a visit to the Black Country Museum, it’s great.
I’ve lived in Wednesbury and other areas around the Black Country. The Black Country has changed somewhat in recent years and unfortunately isn’t as I remember it when I was a child. But anyway, the subject I was trying to get around to is actually fireworks shops.
Who owns these?
How the hell do they make money?
Every town appears to have at least one, and seeing one this morning reminded me of the old fireworks shop where I used to live in Wednesdbury (hence the introductive ramble). Here in the UK we have fireworks night (or “Guy Fawkes night”) where we let some fireworks off. In the run-up to November 5th these fireworks shops do a great trade – people will turn up and buy box-loads of fireworks. Then, just before New Years Eve, the shop will be busy once again with customers trying to get rockets and other fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
What about the rest of the year? I guess a few people will buy fireworks for their wedding.. or maybe for a party.. but.. Surely that can’t be enough trade for a fireworks shop on the high street? It’s not like this is a “professional company” selling fireworks to the trade – this is just a shop on the high street.
How does it make money ? I’m lost..