London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan has issued a warning regarding scammers and fake tickets, urging people to purchase only from Ticketmaster.
Mr Khan announced that the tickets for the iconic annual fireworks event, held at South Bank and Victoria Embankment, were sold out after their release in October.
The London mayor posted on X and stated, “Ticketmaster is the only place to buy resale tickets – watch out for scammers claiming to sell tickets online or offline. If you have tickets, please remember to bring ID.”
Tickets for this year's NYE fireworks celebrations are sold out.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) December 29, 2024
Ticketmaster is the official event partner and the only place to buy resale tickets—beware of ticket scams.
If you have tickets for the night, remember to bring ID. pic.twitter.com/mYnjJF5O7s
According to the Metropolitan Police, “dedicated resources” will be deployed in central London, working with event organizers to enforce a strict no-entry policy for those without tickets.
To reduce the load on transport networks and emergency workers, a ticketing system was proposed in 2014.
However, in 2023, the sale of fraudulent tickets for London’s fireworks on the new year saw a rise.
As reported by BBC, several individuals have previously expressed frustration over long lines, unclear signage, and restrictions on accessing the designated viewing areas.
The Met outlined its plan, stating that crowd control will be handled by stewarding teams, while police will be on standby and ready to intervene if needed.
Heading the New Year’s Eve policing operation, Commander Nick John anticipated a particularly hectic New Year’s Eve in London, with the West End seeing significant crowds.
He added, “Please plan your evening ahead of time, including your journey home. Where possible, we would encourage people to attend organised events.”
He added that it has been observed that there has been a rise in incidents where a few individuals try to gain illegal entry to ticketed events, which poses a risk to everyone’s safety.
A GLA Oversight Committee investigation has revealed how the associated websites claiming to be the official ticket providers were very convincing and put visitors’ lives under serious threat.
In a letter to London’s Mayor, the Committee has urged for a media and social media campaign in December 2024 to warn the public and international visitors regarding the danger of scam ticket websites and touts targeting the London New Year’s Eve event.
The president of the GLA Oversight Committee, Emma Best stated, “Last year, fake tickets led to crowding at barriers and delays for legitimate ticket holders, when people discovered that their tickets were not genuine and wouldn’t allow them access. If someone has travelled from another city or country, this would completely ruin their New Year’s Eve celebrations.”
The committee recommended placing up clear warning signs and ticket verification at entry points to ensure people are aware that only real tickets will allow entrance.
The mayor’s office stated prices of official tickets have increased compared to last year to enhance security and manage crowds effectively.
London residents get a £15 discount than non-residents, keeping last year’s ticket costs for several viewing areas.
Since its inaugural function on December 31, 1999, London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks have been held every year, this time marking their 24th anniversary for the upcoming 2024-2025 event.
This iconic event in London attracts 100,000 to 300,000 crowds annually, with 103,728 tickets checked in 2022-2023 and 106,696 in 2023-2024.
The 2022-2023 fireworks included a beautiful light show with drones to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and welcome King Charles III as the new monarch.