ITV takes down famous Granada TV sign

ITV has removed the famous Granada TV sign from the roof of its Quay Street studios due to safety concerns, but the move has been met with outrage among supporters.

The red-lettered, illuminated sign was taken down on Saturday afternoon after more than 50 years as a fixture on the Manchester skyline.

The change was announced on the Granada Reports Facebook page after the sign had already been removed from the building.

An ITV spokesman was quoted as saying: "During routine maintenance of the Quay Street building the roof signage and its fixtures were found to be extensively corroded. As a result, the signs have been taken down for health and safety reasons."

The broadcaster has also released a timelapse video featuring the sign being taken down letter-by-letter from the building.

However, the removal, which went ahead with no advance public warning, was met with anger on the Granada Reports Facebook page.

Forum member Louis Barfe said: "Vandalism, pure and simple. The main office block's a fairly ugly old pile, and that sign and the recently-removed lattice tower were the only things that made it memorable.

"Coming into Manchester on the train on a winter's evening, and seeing that expanse of illuminated red, never failed to give me a warm glow."

Fellow member Cam Corder added: "People of Granadaland should protest to ITV and demand that the Granada Logo is replaced. It is now part of our northern identity and separate from the Southern Elite.

"And Granada should keep its logo after all the programmes it makes instead of the awful ITV Studios Logo. It was bad enough when they removed the aerial..."