A COMMUNITY is celebrating after a beloved missing statue was returned to its rightful plinth in time for Christmas.

Elated residents in the Merchant City are “delighted” to see the Mercury figure reinstated to its base along John Street.

Concerns were raised after the artwork was removed by council teams in July for maintenance work.

Residents had made demands for the figure to be returned to the community as they argued the area looked “neglected” without it.

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Carla Arrighi pictured next to the empty plinth on John Street in the Merchant City where the sculpture Mercurial was taken down for filming of Indiana Jones last summer and hasnt been put back up. FILE PHOTOGRAPH. NB Statue was returned to the

Carla Arrighi, member of Merchant City and Trongate Community Council (MCTCC), said: “I got in touch with some of our local representatives.

“I know they are busy but there is just a marble plinth left and it looks really sad and neglected especially for the Merchant City, which is meant to be the city’s jewel in Glasgow’s crown.”

It soon emerged that the statue was removed from the area and taken to Glasgow City Council’s contractor for repairs as it was rocking slightly at its base.

Council bosses fulfilled their promise that the figure would be reinstalled in time for the festive period.

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Tam Coyle, acting chairman of MCTCC, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to see the statue returned to the community.

“The area looked particularly sad without it. We are grateful for Carla’s work in looking to see it reinstalled.

“The community council is always happy to see anything done that will cheer the area up.”

The statue Mercurial by sculptor Sandy Stoddart pictured on his plinth on John Street in Glasgows Merchant city. The statue was removed during the filming of the Indiana Jones film that took place in Glasgow last summer...Photograph by Colin Mearns.28

 

The group will look to hold a celebration in the New Year for the statue’s return.

The artwork is one of two sculptures of Mercury by Alexander Sandy Stoddart close to the Italian Centre.

In Roman mythology, Mercury was the God of financial gain, commerce, eloquence, poetry, travellers, boundaries, luck, trickery and thieves.