Birmingham Raging Bull to leave Centenary Square earlier than expected with future uncertain

The show-stopping Birmingham 2022 bull faces an uncertain future as officials announce the removal of the sculpture earlier than expected.

The much-loved public exhibit will leave Centenary Square a week earlier than the official date which was the end of September. 

The towering star of the Commonwealth Games 2022 opening ceremony, a 10m high fiery steampunk bull that exhales actual smoke, is facing an uncertain future as plans move ahead to remove it from public view.

The animatronic bull was a massive hit and a major highlight during the spectacular opening ceremony where it played a pivotal role in the story of Birmingham.

The bull represented a message of female emancipation, the contribution of immigrant and working-class workers who worked in the fiery mills and factories of the Black Country, and Birmingham’s little known connection to the Slave Trade.

After news broke that the bull was to be dismantled and scrapped after the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games there was widespread indignation and shock and a campaign was launched  to save the bull from heading to the proverbial slaughterhouse.

Cllr Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, stepped forward following the public outcry and pacified fears about the bull’s forthcoming demise by stating that plans were afoot to find a way to save the bull from being dismantled and scrapped.

Andy Street, West Midlands mayor, said at the time: “The bull will stay in Centenary Square until at least the end of September.”

The news of the bull’s reprieve was received with rapture by the public.

The breathtaking bull, unofficially dubbed ‘Raging Bull’ for its bright red eyes and ability to breathe smoke, has garnered attention from fans across the world and people come in their thousands every day to see the sculpture and clamour for photos and selfies.

Brummies and tourists, with children in tow, mingle every day around the bull. Throughout the summer holidays the public square outside the Library of Birmingham was packed with people.

However, a spokesperson for Birmingham Ceremonies (part of Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022), stated that the iconic bull will be removed from Centenary Square on Friday 23 September. This is a week earlier than what fans of the bull expected.

No official plans have been announced about the future of the hugely popular bull which continues to draw huge crowds to the city.

The bull has rapidly become a part of the Birmingham cultural landscape and has already inspired public art tributes. A street art mural depicting the famous bull, commissioned by the High-Vis Festival, was recently spotted in the Ladywood area of the city.