The Royal Mail has backtracked on controversial plans to sell a £600,000 sculpture that has stood in a Derbyshire town for more than 40 years.
Bosses had planned to auction the sculpture, named Rosewall.
It was bought to stand outside newly-built pension fund offices in Chesterfield in 1963.
It has been withdrawn from the auction at Bonham’s in London after protests. The borough council said it was part of the town’s heritage.

Chesterfield MP Paul Holmes had even asked questions in parliament over the proposed sale of the 2.5 ton sculpture.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail’s chairman, Allan Leighton has withdrawn the sculpture from the auction.

“No decision has yet been taken on its future, but we are confident we can resolve it.”

Dame Hepworth, who died in 1975, based the piece on a hill next to her studio in St Ives.

When the decision was taken to sell the sculpture originally, the Royal Mail said the piece was not an “integral part” of the company’s heritage.

Posted: 10|21|05 at 1:51 pm. Filed under: UK News.