Sculpture celebrates 'incredible' history of city's Canning Circus

A £10,000 sculpture has been unveiled at one of Nottingham's key gateways. Located at Canning Circus, the western entrance to the city centre, the striking artwork celebrates the area's rich history and renewed identity.

- By LYNETTE PINCHESS

The idea was sparked by local business leaders who felt that the area where Alfreton Road, Ilkeston Road and Derby Road meet was overlooked and had become "quite tired looking" after the pandemic. One of the biggest drivers was the upset caused by a "Welcome to Radford" sign, which they felt robbed Canning Circus of its distinct character.

Sculptor Richard Janes spent months working on the eye-catching feature made out of galvanised steel. Drawing on a number of iconic local landmarks, it depicts a Canning Terrace almshouse beside a silhouette of George Canning, the 19th-century Prime Minister after whom the properties were named.

Also in the design are the former tobacco and cigar factory (now converted to flats), and the grand Victorian corner building known for its Dutch-style pediment and the prominent 1877 datestone, once home to Boots the Chemist and the Ben Bowers restaurant.

Rope is a nod to the Ropewalk while hops represent the pubs and inns that have traded there for many years.