Users of Manchester’s Metrolink have been left heartbroken after the owner of a Taylor Swift cardboard cut-out that can be seen by tram riders on their daily commute revealed its future was now up in the air.
The cardboard cut-out that has been in the window of a Castlefield apartment owned by comedian Red Redmond since 2017 is a popular sight-seeing feature between the tram stops of Deansgate and Cornbrook.
The potential loss came to light after Redmond tweeted that the future of cardboard Taylor is ‘uncertain’.
Red posted on Twitter: “I own the infamous Taylor Swift cut-out you can see from the tram. I am moving to Sheffield next week. The future of #TramTaylor is uncertain.”
Commuters have come to regard the figure as a cherished landmark of the city and have not been shy in taking to social media to vent their despair.
One Twitter user posted: “I can’t even form a proper response to this, it’s part of going into town to see Taylor, this is a terrible way to start the new year.”
Sharing the same frustrations, another user said: “Manchester’s biggest landmark is at risk. Please can @AndyBurnhamGM do something perhaps? Also, I am not sure why #TramTaylor isn’t marked on the @MCRMetrolink map?”
Despite Manchester residents being up in arms about the loss, Sheffield locals are besotted about the potential gain of the cardboard celeb, with local Thom Hetherington saying, “An unwelcome blow to Manchester’s visitor tourism, though South Yorkshire tourism bosses will be gleeful.”
It wasn’t until bidding war demands from both Mancunian’s and Sheffielders alike for ownership of Manchester’s most loved cardboard cut-out that Red realised the impact their cardboard cutout – that was gifted to them from a former colleague – had upon commuters.
Whilst they thought the cut-out would raise a smile amongst commuters, they never believed the impact she would have.
“I think it’s something people see every day and it’s become a little bit of a routine in people’s lives to see where she is whilst they are making their journey into town or back home.” they said.
“She’s strangely become a big part of people’s lives, I think it’s just a nice thing.”
Feature image: Cardboard cut out of Taylor Swift by Kaylum Sharp.
