What's Happening in Leicester, England…

Leicester could be set to get a very unusual new sculpture right in the centre of town if the proposals for it that have been put forward are given the green light by the council.

This sculpture would be called The Nib and would depict part of a fountain pen. The plan is for it to be 4.87 metres in height and it would be placed on New Walk, as part of the Writers’ Pavement. This area of the city was unveiled four years ago and is intended to celebrate authors who have connections with Leicester, ranging from playwright Joe Orton to Geoffrey Chaucer.

The idea behind the sculpture is that it would stand as the centrepiece. It is the brainchild of the Friends of New Walk and the organisation has already commissioned a professional sculptor: John Sydney Carter.

When towns and cities create special areas such as the Writers’ Pavement they often use brochure printing from local shops to make sure tourists are able to find them while walking around.

New Walk is already home to a number of impressive pieces of sculpture. Among them are The Clothier, which honours the city’s fabric trade, and The Clicker, which is a tribute to its history of footwear manufacturers.

Now it is down to Leicester City Council to make a decision.