A 10-year-old girl’s fight to save the Angel Central wings appears to have worked – three hours after the Gazette told the story of her campaign.
Angel Central this morning responded to Olivia Gordon Clark’s “Save our Wings” petition by saying it wants to transfer the massive figure to another location – rather than remove it.
It’s a contrast to the company’s planning application to Islington Council for an £8million refurb. In planning documents, it discounted Angel station, the Business Design Centre, Islington Green and “other locations” for the 12-tonne sculpture to be moved to.
“Consequently,” the documents say, “it is considered that all efforts have been made to find a suitable alternative location for the wings within Angel.
“The wings are owned by the applicant, and they would be appropriately removed and stored for a time to ensure that were an alternate location found in time, they may be rehoused.”
But Angel Central, which did not respond to the Gazette’s original request for comment on Olivia’s campaign, this morning appeared to re-commit to finding another site for the wings.
A spokeswoman said: “The opportunity exists to enhance access, circulation and the visual presence of Angel Central by opening up views into and through the centre.
“To facilitate this, we propose relocating the Angel Wings and, working in close collaboration with the Angel Wings’ artist, Wolfgang Buttress, we are exploring alternative, contextually appropriate, locations. Further details will be provided in due course.”
Campaign leader Olivia was unavailable for comment this morning, as she is at school.
But mum Lucy Gordon Clark said: “She thinks it’s a local landmark and should stay a local landmark. Her preference is obviously for the wings to remain at Angel Central, but if it relocates in the Angel vicinity, then fine.
“Obviously, her concern is the wings won’t be relocated – as suggested in the planning documents.”
Olivia, a Year 5 pupil, said this week: “It will cost a lot of money to take them down. It would be nice if that money went to a charity, as they really need it more.”
The sculpture was previously denounced as “dated” by Angel Central. It has been in the shopping centre since 2003.
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