Harrods is to take away sculptures of Mohamed al Fayed who’s accused of raping and sexually assaulting dozens of ladies.
The well-known retailer in Knightsbridge, west London, has submitted a planning utility to renovate an in depth Egyptian-themed corridor and substitute a five-floor escalator which options busts depicting former proprietor Fayed as a pharaoh.
The appliance acknowledges “the Egyptian Escalator explicitly celebrates Mr al Fayed, including sixteen huge sculptures of his face”, including that they signify “a visual reminder of his misdeeds”.
It provides: “Obituaries, while referring to his extraordinary business career, characterised him as a liar, a fantasist and an aggressive sexual predator.
“This isn’t ‘contested heritage’ within the sense that there’s some historic subject at stake; it’s the persevering with public celebration of a person whose victims are nonetheless alive.”
Picture:
The Egyptian Escalator in Harrods and busts depicting Fayed as an Egyptian pharaoh. Pic: Waltraud Grubitzsch/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
Picture:
Pic: Waltraud Grubitzsch/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
In an replace in August, the Metropolitan Police stated 146 individuals had come ahead to report a criminal offense as a part of their investigation into the previous Harrods boss, who died in 2023 aged 94.
“Having heard feedback from survivors, we have been working to expedite the proposed redevelopment project of the Egyptian escalators, and a planning and listed building consent application has now been submitted,” it stated in a press release.
“Any proposed changes in store require considered plans, lengthy assessments, and close work with a number of relevant authorities.”
Fayed bought Harrods to Qatar Holdings in 2010 and his different principal asset within the UK, Fulham FC, was offloaded in 2013 to the US businessman Shahid Khan.
Greater than 100 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Fayed have entered Harrods’ redress scheme, the division retailer stated in July.
The Metropolitan Police is conducting an investigation into the way it dealt with historic allegations of offending by Fayed.
It can additionally look into any potential facilitators and enablers, and whether or not any misconduct or corruption occurred.
It’s people surrounding Fayed who may have enabled him to commit crimes that are claimed to have spanned a long time between 1977 and 2014.
