THE iconic bronze leaping salmon sculpture in Peebles is in need of an estimated £4,000 restoration, a meeting has been told.
Despite a makeover in 2021 by Bonnie Peebles Plus, the Millennium artwork, created by Beltane Studios Ltd in 2001, is in need of much more extensive work.
Iomhar and Ruaraig Maciver set up Beltane Studios Ltd, specialising in the ancient art of bronze casting.
And they were later joined by brother Aegir, a foundry man. The sculpture sits on a cairn-shaped plinth at the front of the Eastgate Theatre and was commissioned as a Millennium project, funded by public subscription and donated to Peebles Common Good by Peebles Rotary Club.
It depicts three large salmon leaping upstream in a river and is based on the town’s coat of arms motto Contra Nando Incrementum – ‘there is growth by swimming against the stream’ – referring to the migration of salmon up the River Tweed to breed.
Tweeddale East councillor Robin Tatler told Peebles Community Council (PCC) this month he was contacted by John Falla, of Bonnie Peebles Plus, as the sculpture is tarnished, disintegrating and “on its last legs”.
Mr Tatler also said: “A contractor has looked at it and thinks it will need about £4,000 to fix.
“It is a large chunk of money to spend and its current position [in the town] seems like a really random place.”
Mr Tatler suggested it could be sited on Tweed Green, in the Chambers Institute Courtyard or Pennell’s Vennel.
PCC chairman Peter Maudsley said the community council could run a survey on Facebook about the sculpture’s location.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here