Should Ozzy the bull be given 'silly outfits'?

Campaigners in Birmingham believe Ozzy the mechanical bull should not be dressed up in "daft hats and silly outfits", after he was given a Peaky Blinders makeover.

The 33ft-tall bull in New Street station was transformed with his own flat cap ahead of the franchise's movie release in February.

"I think we need to stop dressing up our city like it's lost a bet. We should be showing more respect than we are." said Tom Cullen, from entertainment and culture magazine I Choose Birmingham.

The West Midlands Growth Company said the makeover "provided a memorable visitor experience linked to Birmingham's culture of storytelling". The BBC has contacted Network Rail for their response.

"Where do you draw the line? Where do these statues become so culturally significant that they are untouchable? And I think Ozzy the bull is one of those." Cullen added.

Named after late rock star Ozzy Osbourne, Ozzy the bull has been a popular feature in the station since July 2023, after he was saved from being dismantled following his starring role at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

Since then, Ozzy has been dressed up for Christmas and more recently as a Peaky Blinder.

Cullen, whose magazine gets emailed to 19,000 readers, said: "Ozzy was wheeled out in all his majesty. Back then he had a face mask on. On that face mask was inscribed the names of the 21 victims of the Birmingham pub bombings.

"The sentiment behind our dear Ozzy was so important to the city that we're willing for him to bear the names of the people we lost that day.

"Had he still been wearing that face mask, with those names on, is it okay to be putting a Peaky blinders cap on his head, baubles on his ears at Christmas?"

Others say they agreed with Ozzy being dressed up in connection with Birmingham's history but would "hate" to see brands dress him up.

Jil Giddings, who was one of the actors involved in the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, said: "The Peaky Blinders are history, so to bring the two things together on the odd occasion is no bad thing for the city.

"However, I would hate to see Ozzy ended up being dressed up by somebody, some brands paying a lot of money to stick a T-shirt on him.

"Because I think there is an element of he represents the city from a historical point of view."

In a statement, a West Midlands Growth Company spokespesson said "To coincide with the launch of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Premiere, a series of place-led activations was delivered across Birmingham city centre to celebrate the region as the authentic home of the Peaky Blinders.

"The activity was designed to engage visitors, generate positive media attention, and instill pride among residents by reinforcing the West Midlands' role as the birthplace of the story and its characters."

Elsewhere in Birmingham and one of the city's most famous statues has regular makeovers.

The bull statue by the shopping centre has been dressed up for events ranging from the Queen's Diamond Jubilee to St Patrick's Day:

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