A controversial awning placed in front of the Derry Girls mural in Londonderry has been removed.
Last month, fans of the Channel 4 sitcom expressed confusion after the the owner of the The Badgers Bar and Restaurant on Orchard Street erected a new seating area with awning outside the premises.
It obscured the lower half of the mural – which features the lead characters of the show, Erin, Orla, Michelle, Clare and James.
When contacted by the Belfast Telegraph at the time, the owner of the bar refused to comment on criticism of a new structure which partially obscured the famous image.
However, on Monday the awning which housed an outdoor seating area was removed by the bar.
The mural has become one of Derry’s most popular tourist attractions since it was painted to celebrate the legacy of the series in 2019 and is listed on Visit Derry’s website of top things to see in the city.
In a post under an image of the new structure posted by BBC Radio Foyle in September, many also defended the bar and its decision to erect the new outdoor seating area.
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“The bar was there long before the mural, it’s tough enough these days to stay in business, so it’s keeping a local business afloat, I’ve no issue with it,” wrote one user under the photograph.
Another user pointed out the mural and the faces of the four leads played by Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louise Harland, Nicola Coughlan, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell and Dylan Llewellyn – were still visible.
Despite the support for the bar, other users did express their disappointment, with one user writing: “This is awful – a tourist attraction ruined” while another said: “Imagine putting something similar over the Free Derry corner, it wouldn’t be permitted.”
The artwork, which was developed by Channel 4’s creative agency, 4Creative, alongside Derry UV Arts, was briefly was adapted upon the launch of series three and during the pandemic to incorporate Covid masks to honour those working throughout it.
It has also received updates for Halloween to mark the city’s Halloween parade.
News Catch Up – Tuesday 15 October