Sea-spray forces new location for Freddie
Iconic statue looks set to be moved to a spot outside Rotunda
The iconic Freddie Gilroy statue in Scarborough’s Marine Drive is set to be moved to the South Bay amid fears it is being corroded by the sea. A space in front of the Rotunda Museum has been earmarked as a possible new home for the giant sculpture, which has become a landmark in the North Bay.
It has come at the request of sculptor Ray Lonsdale after he noticed the steel was being damaged by salt water.
The move has been backed by Scarborough pensioner Maureen Robinson, who used £50,000 of her life savings to buy the cherished statue for the town last year.
Mr Lonsdale said: “The topping is starting to flake a little bit. The material it is made of is corten steel which is no problem in salt air, but the statue is getting salt water chucked at it every high tide.
“We have had some rough seas this year. It’s not in any immediate danger but it is something that needs addressing. I’ll be helping Maureen and the council work together to find a suitable site.”
Mrs Robinson said it was “a great pity” Freddie had to be moved from his current spot.
“I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed because he made a great impact where he was, but I’m delighted with the proposed new site,” she said.
“He would be placed on the terrace in front of the Rotunda and therefore would still be overlooking the sea and the South Bay. It would be a beautiful view and I’m sure he would enjoy it.
“Tourists that come in on coaches would be able to see him and he would be easier to access from town.”
An official date has not yet been set for the planned move, however Mrs Robinson believes it will be some time next month.
She said: “It is going to prolong his life considerably being moved away from the sea and that is the reason he has to go. When we went down the other day he was just swamped by the high tide and there were signs of erosion on one particular area. If we left him there it would become a serious problem. When he is moved we will feel a lot happier about it.”
A spokesman for Scarborough Council confirmed the authority was “looking at alternative sites” but did not release any further details.
Meanwhile, Mrs Robinson’s fourth gift for the town, a giant stainless steel tunny fish, was completed by Durham-based Mr Lonsdale at the weekend.
The sculpture, which measures 7ft from nose to tail, with a 12ft frame, will be installed in the North Wharf or on Vincent Pier in the New Year.
Mrs Robinson, who chose the tunny after she remembered seeing the fish on display in Scarborough Harbour in the 1940s, said: “I’m delighted with how it looks. I’m really looking forward to seeing it in its new home, which will be somewhere near the harbour. It marks another part of Scarborough’s heritage. Tunny fish attracted great adventurers from around the world to our harbour. I remember when I was young watching them being landed and weighed. It really was a spectacle.
“Originally it was going to be sited near North Wharf, then Cllr Tom Fox suggested Vincent Pier. Several fishermen thought there wouldn’t be enough going on in that area, but having the statue there might actually attract some people to the spot. It would be a more open site with lovely views around the harbour for people to take photographs. They are both very good sites.
“Ray is hoping to come and move Freddie and install the tunny fish at the same time.”
Ray Lonsdale’s Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers’ was erected i n Marine Drive i n November 2011 as part of a temporary art installation. Shortly afterwards, Mrs Robinson stepped in to buy the giant sculpture for Scarborough. In January vandals threw yellow paint over the statue. A reward of over £2,000 was offered to catch the culprits, however they have yet to be traced.
Later that month Mrs Robinson bought Mr Lonsdale’s A High Tide in Short Wellies’ for Filey, a 12ft sculpture of a fisherman.
In May the philanthropist commissioned the artist to create The Smuggler’s Apprentice’ statue for the town, which was installed in Merchant’s Row in September.
Later that month the council agreed to accept the tunny fish as a fourth gift.