Rye takes centre stage for £10,000 bonfire bonanza

Parking restrictions come into force at 4.30pm on Saturday (November 10), with vehicle movements restricted from 6.30pm.

At 7.50pm the sound of a maroon will ring out, signalling the start of the procession from Mason Road, on the Tilling Green Estate

The procession, made up of various bonfire societies and drumming groups, will take the following route: Ferry Road to the Crown Inn, turn left into Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, through Landgate Arch, Hilders Cliff (East Cliff) in to High Street, The Mint, turn right into Wish Ward, Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, left down Landgate, right into Bedford Place and on to the bonfire site.

8.30pm will see the chairing down of Rye Fawkes 2018, who will light the bonfire at 8.45pm.

The evening will draw to a close with a grand fireworks display at 9pm.

The Rye Bonfire Society receives no financial support from public funds in staging this event, which now costs over £10,000 a year to set-up and manage.

All necessary funding is raised by voluntary contributions, programme sales and advertising, fundraising events and street collections on the night.

Those visiting Rye on the night are asked to give generously.

Motorists are advised that all streets on the processional route in Rye town centre will be closed to traffic from 7.30pm until about 9.30pm.

Any vehicles found to be parked on the procession route after 4.30pm will be removed by recovery trucks.

Visitors are advised to park in the Gibbett Marsh car park next to the procession start point at Mason Road.

There is disabled parking concession for up to 20 Blue Badge holders at the east end of the Coach Park, next to Rye Railway Station, approximately 300m from the bonfire site.