Harry Potter Fans Force Rerouting of UK Ireland Power Cable to Save Dobby Memorial
2 sources across 2 countries · Germany · Switzerland
Who reported this
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung
- Neue Zuercher Zeitung
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The Greenlink Interconnector, a power cable project connecting the electricity grids of Great Britain and Ireland, was rerouted to avoid destroying a fan made memorial for the Harry Potter character Dobby. The cable, which costs approximately 430 million pounds, was originally planned to run through Freshwater West Beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales. This location served as the filming site for the death of the house elf in the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Project manager Simon Ludlam stated that the company received hundreds of calls from fans after a BBC interview highlighted the cable's path. Ludlam initially did not know who Dobby was and questioned the seriousness of the situation because the character is fictional. However, the company eventually revised the plans to ensure the memorial, which consists of painted pebbles and socks, remained undisturbed. Ludlam noted that the rerouting was not trivial because it brought the cable closer to actual Bronze Age archaeological sites.
The memorial has faced other challenges in the past. In 2022, the National Trust considered removing the site due to environmental concerns and pollution caused by visitors leaving socks on the beach. Following a public survey, the trust decided to keep the memorial but requested that fans stop leaving objects there for ecological reasons.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The report frames the event with a focus on the emotional power of cinema and contrasts the protection of a fictional grave with the proximity of a real Bronze Age site.
- Centre-right
- The report frames the event as a conflict between a massive infrastructure project and the influence of a dedicated fan base.
Sources
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