A massive 20ft golden statue of a naked man that has stood proudly – but somewhat bizarrely – in a car park in Wigan has now been removed.
Anyone travelling through Ince over this past year has probably found themselves looking twice and clocking eyes at what is undeniably one of the town’s more striking and unusual sights – and then promptly questioning what the heck it is, and why it’s even there.
We’re talking about that massive golden statue of a naked man in a car park, of course.
Well, the eye-catching statue itself was used actually used to promote the massive Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator all the way back in 2000, but after that, it was sold and brought to the borough several years ago.
The statue was eventually placed in the car park of Grants Bulldog Forge earlier this year, but despite becoming a popular attraction in the town and winning-over lots of locals, Wigan Today has reported that it has been removed this week on what was described as a “sad day”.
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It was moved amid claims the shop and landlord were advised to do so by Wigan Council following “too many complaints” about it.
“We’ve had to remove it,” store owner Grant Adamson told Wigan Today.
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“Wigan Council didn’t like it, they said they’ve had too many complaints about it. We had one lad come in and tell us it was obscene, but if you go on our Facebook page where we’ve posted about it, they’re all on about petitions to bring it back.
“People just laugh at it, it’s just a talking point.”
Mr Adamson said the statue had been “good for the shop as a landmark”, and he believes that overall, it has “got a good response” from people, so “it’s a shame really” that it had to be removed.
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“It’s a sad day – but I’m sure we’ll see him again somewhere,” he concluded.
Massive golden statue of naked man removed from Wigan car park after complaints / Credit: Grant’s Bulldog Forge (via Facebook)
Confirming that the statue had been removed and providing an explanation as to why, a spokesperson for Wigan Council said: “The statue has been removed very recently, and so the Council is now reviewing its next steps in line with its normal processes.”
They added that the Council has been “liaising with the landowner as regards to the need for the relevant planning permission for the statue”.
Will we see the golden guy return any time soon then? We’ll just have to wait and see.
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Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th October 2022 
