In August York’s Leisure chief Cllr Sonja Crisp promised “As the birthplace of Guy Fawkes, we pledged last year that York would commemorate November 5, 2012, in style”. “We’ve been working hard with partners to ensure this happens, and it’s going to be a night to remember.”

She ignored warnings about previous events that had been held at the Knavesmire including one near disaster in the 1990s where a lack of security led to safety fears as almost 40,000 clambered to get into a “free” fireworks display.

It is a problem venue to manage at night with large crowds being difficult to control because of the open layout of much of the area. Unless adequate temporary lighting is installed, it can be chaotic.

Now the verdicts are coming in on yesterday’s event and it is clear that it will indeed be a night to remember for many of the 10,000 who attended. For many though it will be remembered for the wrong reasons.

On the positive side, the fireworks event at The Maze seems to have been another success. So perhaps smaller venues are the place to stage events of this sort.

Coming so soon after the Museum Gardens fiasco, questions will be asked about whether the York Council bit off more than it could chew.