'Get to f***': Glaswegians furious after Duke of Wellington plastered with adverts

Glaswegians have been left outraged after a beloved city statue seems to have had a bit of a makeover.

The Duke of Wellington – stationed outside the Gallery of Modern Art – appears to have had his famous cone covered with advertisements.

(Image: Images taken by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Images taken by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) The issue was raised by a user on Reddit earlier this week which soon threw Glaswegians into a frenzy.

Taking to the social network forum, one person said: “That’s an abomination.”

Another said: “They can get to f***. Don't care if it's a £100m business or a local musician. We don't need to take advantage of every situation for a personal gain.”

While a third added: “Disgusted, get that down.”

(Image: Images taken by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) The statue – of Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington and his horse Copenhagen – was sculpted by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844 to mark the successful end of the long French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

Given that the structure is a Category A-listed sculpture, Glasgow City Council has previously been very vocal on making sure locals keep off the statue. 

(Image: Images taken by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) In 2005, Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Police asked the public not to replace the cone – which they removed – after citing minor damage to the statue and the potential for injury when attempting to place a cone.

Later, in 2013, the council put forward plans for a £65k restoration project, that included a proposal to double the height of its plinth to keep "vandals" away. However, the plans were withdrawn after widespread public opposition, including an online petition that received over 10,000 signatures.  

(Image: Images taken by Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

Now the recent makeover of the cone has led to Glasgow City Council issuing another stern warning of safety to the public.

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “Anyone climbing on the Duke is putting themselves and others at risk of harm and is potentially damaging an A-listed statue."