The famous and beloved elephant statue that stands outside the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre has been taken down from its plinth outside the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre. It’s heading for a lick of paint before returning to a temporary perch at Castle Square on Elephant Road.
The elephant statue is of the same design as the one which stood above the Elephant & Castle pub until its closure in 1959. The statue was then relocated as the indoor centrepiece of the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre when it opened in 1965.
According to local legend, the original statue was melted down in mysterious circumstances and the version which stood on the plinth is a fibreglass replica.
The shopping centre closed for good last Autumn, and will now see the 55-year-old shopping centre demolished as it makes way for a new London College of Communication campus. Plus a new Northern line entrance will also link the station to the facilities that will be home to the town centre.
We can’t believe after all these years the elephant statue has been removed. It just won’t be the same! Local residents have also shared their sadness regarding the community’s much-loved Elephant landmark statue.
Having the Elephant in Castle Square will allow it to remain in the heart of the community and for the 25 businesses from the shopping centre who have relocated to this area to remain trading in close proximity to the iconic landmark which has been the emblem for the area for more than five decades.
