Rediscovered Pub Statue Resumes Christmas Tradition

A prominent pub statue, missing since 2016, has received its initial Christmas transformation following its reappearance. This statue previously stood above the entrance of the Old General pub, located on Radford Road in Hyson Green, but vanished upon the establishment’s closure in 2016. Earlier this year, it was located at a charity shop and subsequently acquired by Castle Rock Brewery, which installed it in the beer garden of the Vat and Fiddle pub. The statue was historically recognized for being adorned as Santa each Christmas, and its current location has now reinstated this custom by dressing it in a red and white costume, complete with a beard. Paul Willett, aged 74, recalls seeing the statue in its festive attire from his school bus during the 1960s. “In the winter it was always dressed up as Santa Claus. “It was a symbol whenever you saw it that it was nearly Christmas. It’s great.” Jessica Collins, the marketing manager for Castle Rock Brewery, stated that the team had anticipated adorning the Old General Statue as Father Christmas since its recovery. “I think people really missed seeing him all dressed up when he was gone,” she further commented. “So it’s really lovely to be able to bring that tradition back.”We’ve had to improvise slightly with the costume because the one that was donated to us didn’t fit.”We were prepared to cut and sew, but we couldn’t even close it, so we’ve used a couple of nice red velvet capes but we think he looks really good for it.” Castle Rock Brewery indicated that its subsequent objective involves restoring the statue in the upcoming year. The depiction of the Old General draws inspiration from a Nottingham personality named Benjamin Mayo. Mr. Mayo, despite his moniker, possessed no military history and was recognized for traversing the streets, distributing news sheets and pamphlets. He had malformed legs, was reportedly approximately 4ft (1.2m) in height, and is thought to have been 64 years old at the time of his death in 1843. BBC Nottingham can be followed on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Story submissions are accepted at eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Details regarding our external linking policy are available.