Brigg councillors have been in touch with the relevant pub chain about the future of the distinctive Dying Gladiator sign in Bigby Street.
The reply suggests we'll have to wait till a new tenant (hopefully) comes in and reopens the bars, then take it from there.
Mention is being made of possibly involving a "conservator" at some future point.
The sign is not the greatest piece of art but surely a distinctive feature of the Conservation Area, and the town centre, which is worthy of preservation, whatever might happen to the Gladiator building in years to come.
The Layne's Garage motif, next to The Glad, has been tastefully worked into the new brickwork of the small housing development, while the same was done with the Spring's jam factory sign when Jackson's supermarket was built alongside the River Ancholme.
The Glad sculpture, by the way, was influenced many decades ago by a visit to Italy undertaken by a previous owner/landlord of the Brigg pub.
Ours is supposed to be the only Dying Gladiator pub in the UK. And many of us have fond memories of good times spent on the premises, notably during Baz Fewster's lengthy tenure.
Even if premises are eventually turned over to another use, preserving the sign in some way would help to keep such memories alive for many Brigg folk.
One doesn't have to go to Italy, Nige, to see the scuplture that the 'Dying Glad' is allegedly based upon.
ReplyDeleteThere is a C19th bronze-cast version of the 'Dying Gaul' in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. (remembering that certain land around Brigg was owned by Clare College - there could be a connection)
The original 'Dying Gaul' is in marble; dates from about 230BC and can be seen in the Capitoline Museum in Rome.
The 'Dying Gaul', however, may also be based upon an earlier, 500BC Greek statue, the 'Dying Warrior'.....Indeed, I would say that the 'Dying Glad' displays comparaively more of a resemblence to the latter.
For info, Only last week, I gave Ben Nobbs a snippet of information about the above for possible inclusion in Brigg Matters.