A GLASGOW councillor has challenged Edinburgh to come up with its “own patter” after a cone was placed on one of the capital’s best-known statues.
SNP councillor Christina Cannon posted an image of a traffic cone placed on the head of Sir Walter Scott, under the gothic monument to him in Princes Street.
Cllr Cannon then referred to Glasgow’s celebrated tradition of having a near-permanent cone on the head of the Duke of Wellington in Royal Exchange Square.
The councillor for Springburn and Robroyston tweeted: “Get yer own patter, Edinburgh.”
The tweet has been liked by 11,000 social media users and retweeted over 2,500 times, including by Glasgow Police.
Referring to the Duke of Wellington statue, @SWGlasgowPolice joked: “Someone steal your horse?”
@ETimsNet said: “Dont worry… by next week they will have him in a beret and cashmere throw”.
@davidlloydreid commented: “Looks like a rogue Glaswegian got over the ticket barriers at Waverley.”
@loganjimt1 said: “A Glaswegian’s been to Edinburgh for a wee night out then.”
In 2013, Glasgow City Council wanted to spend £65,000 to raise the effigy of the Duke of Wellington by 6ft to prevent people putting a cone on his head.
They said it gave the city a “depressing” image but over 10,000 people signed an online petition to say that the cone had become an integral part of the city’s landscape.
The statue outside the Gallery of Modern Art was created by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti in 1844 but jokers regularly place a cone on the Duke.
The council claim it costs £100 a time to remove the cone.
