Gingerbread man statue installed in Market Drayton
A troupe of gingerbread men are taking over a Shropshire town, reflecting the area's connection to the treat.
Market Drayton Town Council approved getting three statues of the gingerbread men last year and placing them at the edges of the town, but plans were delayed due to the coronavirus crisis.
The idea is to help promote the town and represent its historic links to ginger and gingerbread. References to people in the town making gingerbread have been recorded in the late 1700s.
IN Fabrications of Market Drayton created three statues of gingerbread men and now that restrictions are being eased, the first has been installed on a traffic island in the A53 near the Gingerbread Man pub on the northern edge of the town.
The little men are made of weathering steel, which are designed not to need painting. In the months after they are installed, the natural weathering process will give them a stable rust-like appearance.
Ian Noden of IN Fabrications said: "I got involved about four or five weeks before the lockdown. They asked me whether I would be interested in doing it.
"I turned it around and gave them a sample. The lockdown came down and I closed the workshop for six to eight weeks, but we can put it in now.
"It's something for the town and it's a nice idea."
He and his team made the statues free of charge to donate to the town.
"I've lived in Market Drayton all my life. Any sort of a boost we can give to Market Drayton, let's do it."
The other two statues will be installed at the western and eastern edges of town soon.
