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Hundreds sign petition to save 1970's mosaic

Lara King
BBC News
Reporting fromGrimsby
Grimsby Archive Photo of 1970's mosaic wall in Grimsby. It is multi-coloured and features images of a woman, a building and a map of the UK, as well as the town's Dock Tower and the town's crest.Grimsby Archive
The mosaic was installed in 1977 to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee

Hundreds of people have signed a petition to save a 1970's mosaic in Grimsby.

It was installed in 1977 to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee but has been hidden from sight behind two former shops in Freshney Place.

Campaigners say it is now under threat because of the development of the shopping centre and cinema.

North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) has said it will assess whether it can be saved or whether it has been damaged beyond repair.

Lara King A man and a woman stand in front of shops with shutters down. The woman has blonde hair and is wearing a pink coat. The man has dark brown hair and is wearing a blue jumper under a coat made from black and white houndstooth material.Lara King
Kerry Henderson and Mik Boon both want the 1970's mosaic saving

An NELC spokesperson told BBC Radio Humberside: "We are aware of the Jubilee mosaic in Freshney Place behind some of the units that are due to be demolished as part of the leisure scheme.

"Unfortunately, the bit that we don't know is whether the mosaic was damaged when the units were put up".

Hundreds of people have signed an online petition to save it, started by Mik Boon: "This mosaic was erected in 1977 and has been a symbol of our local heritage ever since".

"It is now in danger of being bulldozed down to make room for a cinema."

Kerry Henderson from the Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society said: "It is important to the people of Grimsby that we have a bit of our heritage saved.

"A lot of punks used to come and have their photos taken beside it."

The council will assess if it can be saved when they get to that section of the Freshney Place leisure development scheme.

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