Wimbledon Theatre

Fixing a broken arm – 30m up!

The golden statue atop the dome of Wimbledon Theatre is Laetitia, the Roman Goddess of Gaiety (although many refer to her as the theatre’s “angel”) and was an original fixture back in 1910. Laetitia is holding a laurel crown as a symbol of celebration. The statue was removed in World War II as it was thought to be a direction-finding device for German bombers. Buried for safekeeping, the angel’s true resting place was sadly forgotten. The rooftop remained bare until a modern “angel” was added in the refurbishment in 1991.

Mason Navarro Pledge were employed to provide a temporary solution to keep the statue’s arm secure as there was a crack running all the way around the forearm. We worked with PAYE to provide a quick and efficient solution to safeguard the statue until a time that it can be removed and fully restored.

We provided two options for the Contractor to discuss with their client and advised of our preferred option, which could be utilised as a more permanent repair and would be more aesthetically pleasing. Our preferred solution was chosen and involved encasing the arm in a fibreglass wrap, colour matching the resin to ensure it was in keeping with the gold statue.