Lewes Bonfire 2026: non-residents encouraged to attend firework events ‘closer to home’ instead of travelling to town
Lewes Bonfire Night 2026 is fast approaching and Lewes District Council (LDC) has issued a list of road closures and other essential information about the event.
The huge spectacle is set to take place on the evening of Thursday, November 5, and is organised by the town’s independent bonfire societies.
LDC said: “Road closures will affect large parts of Lewes town on the day. Diversions will be in place for traffic to travel outside of the town. Residents are advised to get vehicles home before 4pm to avoid any road closures in place.”
The council has also advised people not to bring vehicles into town and to use public transport instead.
But the council also said: “If you are not a resident of Lewes, people are being encouraged to attend firework events closer to home and not to attend Lewes Bonfire Night.”
The message from Lewes Bonfire societies to those living outside the town is also to support their local bonfire celebrations instead of travelling to Lewes.
LDC said the road closures, which start at 4.45pm on the Thursday, are:
A27 junction with A277 Brighton Road (Ashcombe Roundabout).
A275 Offham Road with B2116 Plumpton Road.
C7 Kingston Road junction with C324 Wellgreen Lane.
A26 junction with A2029 Malling Street.
A26 Church Lane junction with Church Mayhew Way.
The Drove at the junction with Hamsey Lane to the A275.
Parking restrictions will be imposed from midday and the council warned that parking is not permitted at Brooks Industrial Estate on November 5.
LDC said: “On-street parking will be suspended on certain streets in the town. Vehicles must be removed from these routes or risk being towed away if they are not. If you have a parking permit and need assistance on alternative parking locations for the evening, please contact the East Sussex County Council parking team on 01273 335500 or [email protected].”
The council added that trains will not call at Lewes, Falmer, Cooksbridge, Glynde and Southease from 5pm on November 5 until the start of service on Friday, November 6. The last trains back from Victoria to these stations leave at 3.24pm and 3.54pm. Bus diversions are in place too and people can check these with Brighton and Hove Buses and Traveline South East.
The council has provided a map of road closures and parking restrictions at www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/article/2299/Lewes-bonfire-travel-information.
LDC said Lewes Bonfire Night is ‘not a firework display as people expect’. It said: “While there are fireworks later in the evening at designated bonfire society sites, the main focus of the event are the processions, which are historical.”
The bonfire societies in Lewes are set to hold these processions through the streets with the main procession route being Western Road, through the Bottleneck along the High Street, past the War Memorial and down School Hill to Boots corner.
The council added that each bonfire society is selling its own programme, which gives details of its procession route.