Will the animals on tower be controversial?

GRAFFWERK say: “The building, like all art in general and the mural that will adorn it, is subject to opinion”.

Well, in my opinion, the Blue Tower mural is colourful and well executed.

However, I wonder whether the animal imagery will provoke condemnation in some quarters.

Hounds have chased and caught foxes in our idyllic countryside for hundreds of years.

The pursuing horses and riders then witness the poor animal being savagely ripped to pieces.

The county’s crest has the motto “For’ard, For’ard” below the shield; For’ard being the call used to encourage the hounds forward in the chase.

Leicester City footballers are heralded on to the pitch to the sound of the Post Horn Gallop, a reference to the tally ho horse riding and foxhunting heritage of the county.

Both our football and cricket teams are known as the Foxes and Reynard is visually represented in both badges.

At least this fox will be safe at the top of the tower.

The tiger represented in the mural refers to the rugby union football club, the Leicestershire Regiment or both?

Some say that the name Tigers was adopted by the rugby club because of the stripes on the players’ shirts.

More likely, they took the same moniker that was bestowed on the local army regiment in 1825 following 18 years spent in India.

In 2025, it will be the bicentenary of the regiment being awarded a Royal Tiger on its cap badge in recognition of the part it played, fighting to gain British rule in India.

I can’t imagine this being commemorated in the city.

If the “woke brigade” demand that the Tiger must go, how about a portrait of Sir David Attenborough but, God forbid, not Gary Lineker!

Gary Freestone, Leicester