'The Co-op cow sign is how we knew we were home'

After it first lit up the skyline in 1955 with its red and green neon lights, the "Co-op cow" sign soon became well-loved - and a signal to the people of Derby that they were home.

More than 20 years ago, the landmark on top of Derby's Central Hall was re-positioned on the side of the building, but some time after the lights went off and never came on again, leaving locals udderly upset.

On Saturday, it will finally moo-ve out of the darkness, with its switch-on due to take place at about 19:00 GMT.

The Co-op cow may be unfamiliar to younger generations, but for many older residents of the city, they say it is part of their childhood.

The Central Co-op said the cow was being re-lit as part of the celebration of the United Nations' International Year of Cooperatives 2025.

Elaine Dean, society president of Central Co-op, told the BBC: "After over 20 years of darkness, we will have light and people will see the cow again."

She said she remembered it being put up, and going to see it.

"It was always there - as everyone says, it is the sign that you are coming home to Derby when you see it in the distance," she said.

"As a little girl, it was the Co-op cow. We had Co-op milk, and it was just part of Derby."

• 1955: The sign was put up on top of Derby's Central Hall building. It displayed the slogan "the gateway to health" lit with green neon lights, above a giant crimson cow figure, lit in red neon, and next to white lettering saying "Co-op milk"
• 2001: During the redevelopment of Central Hall, the Co-op cow was removed for roofing repairs
• 2002: A new version of the cow returned to a more sheltered position on the side of the building - as it had previously been "buffeted by the winds and the weather", said Mrs Dean - and was lit again. Some time after this, it went off, and Mrs Dean said over the years she had tried to get it re-lit, without success, and was told the switch had been lost
• 2010: Derby musician Kevin Moore wrote a song called The Co-op Cow
• 2025: The sign was re-wired and fitted with white LED lighting, and on 1 March will be switched on again

Mrs Dean said she remembered when the cow was re-lit in its new position, in 2002.

She said: "It was lit up by Ted Pickard, the electrician, and I was up there on the roof at the time. We had a crowd of people up there to celebrate.

"Then it went off, and it was off for ages, and the Co-op vacated the Central Hall premises as retail departments and nobody bothered about it.

"I asked several times if it could be lit up again."

She said this January, following a chat with Dame Margaret Beckett, the former Labour MP for Derby South, about the landmark, Mrs Dean decided to ask again.

She said Central Co-op chief executive Debbie Robinson agreed, saying it would be "marvellous".

Mrs Dean added: "It will be just wonderful - so many people have asked to have it re-lit and [BBC Radio Derby breakfast presenter] Andy Twigge has been one of those."

Kevin Moore, who wrote a song about the landmark, The Co-op Cow, said he was "pretty ecstatic" about the news.

He said: "It is part of my childhood. People outside of Derby probably wonder what we are talking about, but it means a lot to me.

"I remember as a child coming home from Matlock from my grandmother's house and it would be there floating ethereally in the sky and it was 'we are nearly home'.

"It is synonymous with a certain generation I think. I love the fact it is coming back to life."

Mr Moore said he was planning to remix his song to coincide with the "rebirth" of the Co-op cow.

Mr Twigge, who has asked about the cow being re-lit on his show, said growing up, he would go into Derby on the number seven bus from Heanor.

He said: "You knew you were in Derby because you could see the Co-op cow, and when you went in at night time, it was all lit up. It's iconic.

"For people that can remember it originally, it's huge. For me, the Co-op cow is Derby.

"Like Rolls-Royce, the railways and the Royal Crown Derby, so is the Co-op cow."

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