ARBORETUM

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(For a detailed history of the park, visit: www.derbyarboretum.co.uk)

A historic statue of a wild boar is unlikely to return to Derby's Arboretum, because it could offend Muslims living nearby. The Florentine Boar stood in the Derby park from 1840 to 1942, when it was beheaded by flying masonry during an air raid. Derby City Council had hoped to replace the statue with an identical replica when plans for a massive overhaul of the park were first considered a decade ago. But following reservations raised by some people in Normanton about a new boar statue, the authority decided to consult with local community leaders.

At a meeting of the council's minority ethnic communities advisory committee it was recommended that the boar be replaced with something else because of the strength of feeling among nearby residents as pigs are perceived as offensive creatures by many Muslims. Derwent Ward councillor Suman Gupta said, "If the statue of the boar is put back at the Arboretum I have been told that it will not be there the next day, or at least it won't be in the same condition the next day at least. We should not have the boar because it is offensive to some of the groups in the immediate area."

Shokat Lal, Pakistani Community Representative at the meeting, said, "In Normanton the majority of the residents are Pakistani Muslims. I don't want this to be perceived as some kind of loony-left decision. I'm not saying we have to lose the boar, but we could put the boar in the city centre so it doesn't cause offence to local people." The committee formally recommended that, instead of the boar, a statue of the park's architect, John Loudon, should take pride of place in the Arboretum, while a new site for a boar statue should be found within the city centre.

Derby's Arboretum, believed to be England's oldest public park, was presented to the city by 75-year-old Joseph Strutt, cotton mill owner and the first Mayor of the reformed Borough of Derby in September 1840. The boar statue, built in thick ceramic and based on a Florentine statue from the 1600s, was donated from the garden of Strutt's house in St Peter's Street. In 2003, a £5.6m National Lottery grant was approved to restore the park to its former glory.

As a citizen of Derby, I am appalled by the comments made by Councillor Suman Gupta, stating that the boar would not be there the next day, or in the same condition. I'd like to remind Councillor Gupta that this park is being restored with money from the Lottery and is to be restored to it's former glory, including the boar. When I pass through certain parts of Derby, we are confronted with mosques, but we have to accept them. Perhaps Councillor Gupta should be more concerned about Muslim extremists than British heritage.

This is a democratic country with freedom of choice. One does not have to visit the park and one does not have to visit a mosque. If threats were made by Christians that mosques would be destroyed overnight, I'm sure there would be a outcry from Muslims. England has opened its arms to all nationalities, but English people have the right to restore heritage without question. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. B. Carrington and Z. Fletcher

I am more than offended to read a local councillor's suggestion that if the boar were to be replaced it would within days not be in the same condition as installed because it would offend local Muslims. I do understand the logic of having it placed back to its place of origin, and if we the tax-payers, whether by means of lottery grants of otherwise, spend money then it should be spent wisely. But I believe it is a sad reflection upon the state of our society when we permit a minority to dictate what they will and what they will not have in their area.

No area should be for any particular group. The park is for the benefit of all. If you feel offended by a statue the answer is simple, do not go there. We respect the beliefs of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Jews, so please respect ours. But when we are advised about the possible repercussions of restoring a boar to a park then it is a sorry and sad day for England and the United Kingdom. I really try hard not to speak up and not sound as though I support the British National Party. I do try to be non-political, but others are handing them much ammunition and they will use it in an attempt to gain power, regrettably.

When we get ordinary voters voicing that if a BNP candidates would stand in their area they would get many votes simply because the ordinary public see our culture and traditions being usurped and our imperialistic past as being something we should be ashamed of. Neither I nor anyone living today can change the past but we are prepared to be tolerant. But if we permit this erosion of our culture to continue we shall become like the Balkans with community against community. I would have been prepared to stand up and be counted but my family say they would feel threatened if I disclosed my name. That again is a sad reflection on where we are today in my country. Anon

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