Well done Bwdsm, I think you may be right though. There's money to be made selling fireworks, and the Government might be labelled 'Killjoys'.
Talking of loud bangs, on the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle they fire a very loud gun at 1pm every day. When I used to live there, I was once asked by an obviously tourist couple on Princes Street, "Excuse me, do you know what time they fire the one o'clock gun?" I dissolved into giggles...