Yes, wood, steel and polystyrene – with a fabric covering.

The Replica has been deteriorating for some time with the hotel taking a sticking-plaster approach to its repair almost since its installation over 12 years ago. When pieces started coming off in last winter’s high winds then they realised that zero hour had arrived. Further prevarication followed then a final decision, made at a senior level meeting, voted 3-2 against paying for a refurb.

Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group are hoping (and have been told) that the replica will be handed over to them and they can then decide whether to restore it at their own expense or not. The cheeky hotel then asked “so, when you’ve done it, will you put it back out the front of the hotel?”

So, saga still ongoing. There have been quite a few comments since it disappeared from the front of the hotel from people wondering where it has gone. We’re hoping that, eventually, some scheme and a compromise can be reached and the replica will go back out front once again. It is a popular South Liverpool landmark and a fair few of us were sad to have to see it go.

Watch this space – but, if past experience is anything to go by, don’t expect anything to happen soon. It is still owned by the hotel so we/SAHG can’t or won’t touch it until ownership is transferred.

Anon.