Planning row over mural of Captain Tom and boxer Jack Bodell
A LOCKDOWN mural featuring Captain Tom and former champion boxer Jack Bodell is under threat as council officials say it needs planning permission.
The work was painted on the side of a gym in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, to honour Captain Tom’s fundraising heroics but also features Jack who hailed from the county.
Following a stellar career, the former British heavyweight champion retired to Coventry where he owned the Knockout Fish Bar on Jardine Crescent.
Jack died in 2016 following a battle with dementia but now features on the mural alongside Captain Tom and the image of a boxing ring and gloves.
The striking creation, painted by an artist from Birmingham, is a real head turner and has attracted many favourable comments from passersby. It includes the message, ‘Thank you NHS’.
But now it has emerged that South Derbyshire District Council’s planning department has told the club it needs to apply for planning permission for the work to stay as as it is classed as ‘advertising’.
If the plans are rejected, George Balfour, who runs the club, said he would not be taking it down, saying: “If the council want to take it down, they can take it down themselves. I
won’t be taking it off.” Mr Balfour claims it is down to one individual who has complained to the council that the artwork needs consent.
He said: “The council say it is advertising but what is it advertising?
“When I received a letter from the council saying I needed permission I wasn’t happy at all. I had been told that I wouldn’t need permission.
“It has cost £130 to submit the application but we had loads of comments from people saying they would pay the fee. In fact, it is a member of the public who has paid that.
“This is all down to one person who didn’t like it and went to the council.”
In its the application for the
mural, the club said: “In support for the NHS during lockdown [there is] a mural of Sir Tom Moore and Jack Bodell, who put Swadlincote on the map in boxing.
“[There are] also four names [on the mural], two of which are still involved in the club.
“At no time is it intended for advertising.”
Councillor Sean Bambrick, who represents Newhall on the district council, said he believes the mural may be classed as advertising which is why it requires an application but said he didn’t understand why it was classed as advertising.
Councillor Bambrick also believes the application would be passed without issue.
South Derbyshire District Council has been approached for comment.
Jack became well known in Coventry living in the Tile Hill and Eastern Green areas.
In 1983 he hit the headlines when boxing legend Muhammed Ali visited Jack’s chippy during a visit to the city.
Droves of Coventrians turned out to see the heavyweight champion as you can see from the picture gallery below.
Ali was besieged by more than 3,000 admirers outside the Unit Sales DIY store, in Rotherham Road, Holbrooks as screams of “Ali, Ali” rang out and a sea of autograph books were waved.
After a lunch break at the Royal Court Hotel in Keresley, Ali was driven to the Unit Sales store in
Warwick, where he was greeted by more fans.
On his final stop of his 10-day tour of the Midlands, he visited the ex-boxer’s fish and chip shop in Jardine Crescent, Tile Hill, where a crowd of about 1,500 were waiting to see him.
Born and bred Newhall, Derbyshire, Jack boasted an incredible boxing career recording 58 wins in 71 fights, with 31 by knockout.
He was a British, European and Commonwealth heavyweight champion after first training in his youth at a gym in the Royal Oak pub, in Newhall.
He was also a miner at Church Gresley Colliery from the age of 15, before becoming National Coal Board amateur light heavyweight champion three times.
He first won the vacant British title against Carl Gizzi in 1969. He lost it in his second defeat by Henry Cooper in his next fight, before regaining it two years later on the night he also won the Commonwealth and European titles from Joe Bugner.
Among others, Bodell also defeated Brian London. He suffered a knockout loss to Jerry Quarry in 1971, and fought for the last time when being stopped by Danny Mcalinden at Villa Park in 1972.
He retired from boxing following that fight. Jack died in 2016 aged 76 and was laid to rest in Canley.