Ashbourne pub sign: Calls for black head sign to return

Disputes about what to do with the head sign had split the town

A controversial bust of a black man's head which was removed from a pub sign in Derbyshire could go back on public display, a council has said.

It was unofficially taken down last month by residents of Ashbourne who said they wanted to protect it from "cultural vandalism".

A petition, signed by 85,000 people, had called for the sculpture to be removed after more than a century.

Now the town council has voted to take ownership of the figure.

The Grade II*-listed bust was part of The Green Man & Black's Head Royal Hotel sign and had stood over St John Street.

The 18th Century iron and wood feature was gifted to the district council many years ago and was listed in 1951.

Following the rise of the Black Lives Matter protests and the toppling of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol, the head was denounced as a "racist caricature".

The head was handed over to the district council after being taken down by residents

Sue Hodgson, from the town council, said: "Admittedly the head has been there for a long time and people have not been protesting about it - but they are protesting about it now.

"I have talked to a lot of people about this - mainly they are newcomers to the town - but not a single person has been in favour of the head going back."

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On Tuesday, town councillors voted to take ownership of it, but where it should go split opinion.

Several councillors spoke in favour of putting it in a heritage centre or museum while others said people had "jumped on the bandwagon" given what was happening nationally.

Denise Brown said the protests meant the issue could not be discussed rationally and added: "How anybody can say this is a racist town is absolutely beyond me."

Derbyshire Dales District Council, which has the sculpture in storage, is consulting on the issue.

As the sign is listed, it is likely government permission will be required for any permanent change of location.

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