The 20ft gold Roman gladiator statue – once used to promote the Russell Crowe movie Gladiator in 2000 – was reinstated at Bulldog Forge in Ince, Wigan, Greater Manchester, earlier this week
A contentious 20ft nude sculpture prohibited by the local authority has been restored following a grassroots campaign by residents. The eye-catching golden Roman Gladiator figure – previously used to advertise the Russell Crowe epic in 2000 – was re-erected at Bulldog Forge, in Ince, Wigan, Greater Manchester, earlier this week.
The beloved sculpture – dubbed ‘Golden Balls’ by locals – was removed on October 11, 2022, after Wigan Council demanded its removal following numerous complaints from neighbours. The ruling sparked outrage within the community, which subsequently established Facebook groups and petitions calling for his restoration.
However last night, Grant Adamson, 60, who operates the vintage shop where it stands, confirmed its comeback after three years, stating he did so to bring “Christmas cheer”.
He said: “Locals were heartbroken when we took him down. People liked him, he was a bit of fun, you know, ‘Golden Balls’, as they called him, became a landmark and it gave them something to laugh about. People were always asking me when is he coming back, so I decided to bring him out for Christmas.”
Grant revealed the sculpture had been displayed for approximately six months before the council instructed him to remove it. He said they had received numerous complaints regarding its nudity and also noted that he would need to apply for planning permission for its installation.
Grant conceded to the council’s demands and put the statue in storage, despite contesting the need for planning permission. He argued that since it’s on his land, mobile and doesn’t extend beyond his property line, it isn’t necessary, but he respects the council’s decision.
The statue had previously been a prominent feature outside Titan Flooring Specialists on the Landgate Industrial Estate in 2017. However, over the summer, the sculpture was seen at Leisure Lakes campsite in the Mere Brow area of Preston.
Grant mentioned that he had arranged with the campsite owners to bring it back to his shop after the summer season ended. Grant shared news of the statue’s return on Facebook, stating that locals are “over the moon” about the comeback of their beloved statue.
One local exclaimed: “YESSSSSSSS FINALLY GOLDEN BALLS IS HOME LOL”.
Another resident commented: “We just drove past… he must be cold.”
A different local said: “I’ll be making a detour on my way home from work on Friday.”
Yet another resident asked: “Did he go somewhere nice on holiday?”.
One person added: “Belting my grandkids loved him.”
Another remarked: “Yaaaaay he used to brighten my day!”.
Grant himself expressed delight about the statue’s return, saying: “I was made up on Wednesday when I got the call saying he is on his way. After the year everyone has been through, I hope it gives people a smile. It’s good for the business and good for the community.”
Grant revealed that the statue won’t be a permanent fixture, as the council has only granted him permission to display it for a limited time. However, he dreams of finding a way to make it a permanent feature.
He said: “If people don’t like it, then so be it, it won’t be up forever, but a lot of people do. But I’d love to keep him up, as it belongs to the shop and the site.”
The statue’s arrival coincided perfectly with an open day at CJS Heritage Engineering at Grant’s Bulldog Forge on Saturday, November 29.
A spokesperson for Wigan Council said: “We are aware that a large statue has been brought onto land at Darlington Street East, Ince, and are assessing whether any consent is needed from the council.
“On a previous occasion, the council advised the landowner that the statue was in need of advertising consent. It was subsequently removed by the landowner before any action was taken.”
