THE OWNER of a 20ft-high golden nude statue, known affectionately by locals as “Golden Balls”, has been ordered to take it down.
Grant Adamson, 60, says he received a letter from Wigan Council saying he could face court action and a fine of £2,500.
The towering Roman gladiator, once used to promote the Russell Crowe blockbuster, was re-erected at Bulldog Forge in Ince, Wigan last month, much to the delight of the community.
The local legend was first taken down in October 2022, after about six months, when Wigan Council ordered its removal following complaints from neighbours.
The decision sparked an online backlash, with Facebook pages and petitions demanding its return.
Golden Balls made a comeback on November 26, thrilling hundreds of locals, who flooded social media with support for the cheeky statue.
But now, Mr Adamson has revealed he’s received a letter from Wigan Council demanding its removal within 28 days.
Mr Adamson has been ordered to remove the figure by New Year’s Eve, or face a £2,500 fine and possible court battle.
He said: “Well, we knew it wouldn’t last, didn’t we.
“I received a letter threatening court action and a potential £2,500 fine if the Golden Man’s not removed by New Year’s Eve.
“They are saying it’s an advertisement – I don’t agree, but sadly in this town it seems your opinion doesn’t matter.”
Support has poured in online, with over 400 messages flooding his Facebook page.
One fan joked: “Where is their sense of humour! It could be a landmark!”
And others suggested everything from a GoFundMe page for locals to chip in for the fine, to putting trunks on the statue.
The letter, sent by the council on December 3, claims Golden Balls counts as an advertisement under Section 336(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Officials say that displaying an advertisement requires express consent unless it falls into an exemption, which Golden Balls does not.
The letter warned: “It is a criminal offence to display an advertisement without necessary consent.
“On conviction a the penalty is a fine up to £2,500 and for continuing offence, an additional daily fine of up to £250 until the contravention ceases.
“The council may also remove the advertisement and recover reasonable cost if you fail to comply.
“Failure to respond positively to the letter or remove the unauthorised advertisement within the required period will leave no alternative but to refer you the matter to the Council’s Legal Department which may result in criminal proceedings.”
The council added that they would also refuse any retrospective application to keep it up.
A spokesperson for Wigan Council said: “We have contacted the owner to explain the requirements for permission and will reach out again if necessary to better understand his intentions for the statue going forward.
“On a previous occasion, the council advised the owner that the statue was in need of advertising consent.
“It was subsequently removed by the owner before any action was taken.
“The letter is standard procedure explaining the property owner’s options.”
