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What's going on? Guy Fawkes night is changing?

Well it was set to change. Southwark Council had mooted plans to abandon its traditional Guy Fawkes night celebration and call it something else.

What on earth were they going to change it to? Bonfire night??

If only! The council suggested the alternative name of: The Colour Thief: A Winter Extravaganza Celebrating the Change of the Seasons.

Doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Why celebrate the change of the seasons on 5 November when we should be remembering gunpowder, treason and plot?

According to the organisers, it was an attempt to make the event more inspiring and create more of a 'sparkling story'.

Holy smoke! What did the people of Southwark think about this?

They weren't too chuffed to be frank. Especially when they learned that it would cost £55,000.

So has the council done a U-turn?

Sort of. They are now claiming that it was merely a proposal, after the clear outrage from Southwark residents.

Out of interest, how did Bonfire night actually come about?

On 5 November 1605 Guy Fawkes, who formed part of the group planning the Gunpowder plot, was caught guarding explosives underneath the House of Lords. Fawkes was then arrested and put to death. Bonfire night is a celebration of the failure of the gunpowder plot.

And there was I thinking it was all about the glow sticks and toffee apples!

Toffee apples are only part of the fun because the festival happens to fall during the apple harvest.

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