After enjoying a tour of the shop it was now time to explore one of Dynamic's licensed firework stores. To comply with regulations these have to be very sturdy and a certain distance away from the public so the majority of these are situated out in the country. So that we cannot reveal the location of Dynamic's store in the event of enemy capture, we had to drive blindfolded, using Nigel's occasional pip of the horn from his car in front to make sure we did not leave the road, heheh...

It is true to say however that when we got there I did not have the slightest idea where we were. Reassuring then to find out that the store was in fact a genuine ex-war bunker! If we didn't know where we were and we followed someone in a car, no wonder the Luftwaffe didn't get to it.

Inside was enough pyro to make a grown man cry!

I've frequented quite a few large storage magazines in my time (is that legal?) but even so each new one is a real treat, seeing shelf upon shelf of fireworks. The amount of boxes in these things can be mind boggling. Luvagoodbang though was a "bunker virgin" and his jaw just dropped when the lights went on. Box upon box of fireworks, in every direction. Not just any fireworks, but UKFR Best Buys there too, in their dozens or even hundreds. I think LGB wants to start his own fireworks business now just so he can walk around a magazine all day.

It may not look much from the outside but it's what's inside that counts!     Colourful Bees and others sit patiently on the shelf waiting to be delivered to a caring new owner...

Reader favourite and UKFR Best Buy "Stampede" in a large enough number to create a real stampede!     There were plenty of interesting sized boxes lurking around.

LGB gives this shot a sense of scale. This was just one small part of the first bunker!

I mentioned above that the magazine was a genuine ex-war bunker. A little bit of exploring showed it was far more than that. Nigel explained that it was used as a control centre for allied bombing, and on the wall behind us he pointed out a quite amazing sight - the original WW2 mission status board. The success - or failure - of allied missions would have been charted here. Frankly it was quite a humbling sight. Many, many men much younger than I had less than a one in six chance of survival so the likes of you and me are free today to enjoy life - and fireworks.

A board showing "Pilot", "Target" and so on is a chilling reminder
of the original WW2 purpose of the magazine.

We had a brilliant time looking at loads of fireworks and the historical connection was fascinating too. Nigel then happened to mention that he had another store not far away, but he did not even have to ask if we wanted to check it out. We were already in the car waiting to follow him before he had finished locking up.