More often than not the statue of the Duke of Wellington at Royal Exchange Square in Glasgow has a traffic cone on his head. Apparently it was way back in the 1980s when someone decided that the addition of a cone would be an improvement and it’s the sort of irreverence which goes down well in Glasgow.
But the powers that be feel the need to remove the cone, feeling that somehow it gives Glasgow a ‘bad name’. How out of touch can you be?! Everyone goes there especially to see the cone topped statue. Anyway, it’s never gone for long as some daredevil usually takes their life in their hands to replace the cone within 24 hours.
Just before Christmas Santa climbed up there and the police arrested him, much to the chagrin of the bystanders. You can see some photos of the incident here.
And following the horrific accident which occurred on December, 22nd a lovely Glaswegian changed the normal traffic cone for a black one. It was only fitting that Old Ironsides should be in mourning with the rest of us.
I took the above photo of the statue on Saturday when we were in Glasgow, amongst other things we visited GOMA which has an Alasdair Gray exhibition on at the moment.
That is hilarious! Officials just need to relax and let it go. They aren’t going to win that battle.
Stefanie,
No they definitely aren’t going to win, but ‘health and safety’ probably make them try their best – putting more people at risk. It’s all good fun though!
Ahh the wonders of a traffic cone. In Portsmouth shopping centre we have a fountain, which generally had shopping trolleys on its horses or washing up liquid in the water!
It all sticks two fingers up to Health and Safety.
Jo,
It certainly does. I remember the foam of the fountain in the town I grew up in. Now the powers that be have got rid of the fountain – spoilsports!