Birmingham Raging Bull moves to new temporary home in Ladywood
The star of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has now moved to its new temporary home in Ladywood.
The Raging Bull was housed in Centenary Square in Birmingham city centre, where it remained for two months.
Standing at 10 metres tall, the 2.5 tonne Raging Bull has become the most visited tourist attraction in Birmingham since its storming appearance in July’s Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Organisers of Birmingham 2022 said during the Opening Ceremony of the Games, a global audience of over 1 billion people saw the Raging Bull, with an estimated 4 million members of the public visiting it in person.
It will now be temporarily housed in a car park off Great Tindal Street in Ladywood.
Speaking to ITV Central, one woman who frequently visited the bull with her children, said she's "shocked" the bull has now been moved.
Claire Finn-O'Shea said her daughters Eliza and Alicia "absolutely loved the bull" and got a chance to use the remote control to control the bull's eyes and ears, when the Games were on.
She said "it will not sustain in the winter or too much rain because it's partly made of foam".
She's now campaigning for the bull to be moved to a more secure location at Birmingham Think Tank, adding, "We're just so sad to see that it's going to be left to rot".
In a statement, the organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have reassured the public that they are in advanced discussions with a local venue so that the Raging Bull can have a permanent home and will remain as a free to view attraction.
They said: "The bull was moved last night as we’ve happily made way for the Birmingham Pride celebrations which are taking place this weekend, with the parade starting from Centenary Square.
"It’s currently in a temporary location. There are advanced discussions taking place with a local venue so that the Bull can have a permanent home."
Plans are currently being finalised and organisers confirmed that they hope to announce more in the coming weeks once a full feasibility study and safety report is completed.
The move comes as per the Organising Committee’s original plan that was communicated in August, with the Bull’s departure making way for the start of this weekend’s Birmingham Pride celebrations.
In a rare interview the Raging Bull commented:
“I have had a truly fabull-ous time. Birmingham’s people really are adore-abull.
"The city really bulled out all the stops and made this time so un-bullievable not just for me, but for the international sports stars that came to the Games.
"I have been in over 4million selfies so the steaks have been raised for future Games. Farewell to my Brummy family, I shall return soon and take the city by the horns once more!!”
Martin Green CBE, Birmingham 2022’s Chief Creative Officer said: "The Raging Bull was a delight to work with. Dependable, sturdy, and really quite stoic in his task.
"Despite being seen in all his resplendent bovine glory by more visitors than any other attraction in the city’s history, he’s kept his hooves firmly on the ground and been a total pro throughout."
With nearly five million visitors to the city centre during Games time, the Commonwealth Games, and this 10m tall megastar, beat previous records for footfall in the city centre by over half a million.