Fireworks expert who created a birthday display for superstar Madonna opens new store in Sandy

A fireworks expert who created a spectacular birthday display for singer Madonna has set up shop in Sandy.

Glenn Plume, the boss of a fireworks display firm, has expanded into selling fireworks and opened Love Fireworks on London Road.

A former supermarket deputy manager, Glenn had always loved fireworks as a child but never imagined that one day he'd be lighting up the sky for superstar Madonna.

He was asked to provide the fireworks for the singer’s birthday at a secret location in the south of France - and was given just a few weeks to organise the display, which was released from a barge moored in the Mediterranean sea.

Glenn said: “Designed and fired to a pre-recorded mix of Madonna’s favourite tacks (none of which were her own creations) we used wireless technology to fire the display remotely.

“I never got to meet Madonna though. She was surrounded by people the whole time.”

Glenn’s fireworks display business Alchemy Fireworks has created shows at many famous events including the Festival of Fireworks and the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.

The firm has in fact detonated 51,814 kilos of explosives, igniting 234,283 fireworks.

He has now launched a retail arm of the business, Love Fireworks. The unit was a former filling station and is located just 400m from the main Sandy roundabout junction with the A1.

The building was also previously used as a bathroom showroom.

Mr Plume has totally transformed the unit, which was white, painting it black with graphics of fireworks and is currently in the process of launching a new website.

And the new business has so far been a great success.

He said: “You could say it’s gone with a bang. It all started by me selling fireworks online and really enjoyed it, so I decided to open a shop.

“Last year in Covid, I was desperate to do something new, so I started selling fireworks you could do in your back garden, I always loved fireworks as a child. I used to work as deputy

manager at Sainsburys and I thought, why not do something I really enjoy?

“Fireworks are really popular all the year round now, not just November 5, with people wanting to buy them for New Year’s Eve and then there will be events like the Queen’s

Platinum Jubilee.”

The building, measuring 629 sqft with a large forecourt, was available to let with Brown&Co for around £10,000 a year.