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The Oxford shark man has died and the final lines of the ruling that let him keep it are just brilliant

John Plunkett. Updated April 3rd, 2019

Sad news today that Bill Heine has died aged 74. And if you don’t know his name, you’ll certainly know his shark, because the former BBC Radio Oxford presenter was responsible for the city’s famous fibreglass artwork, the Headington Shark.

You remember, the one sticking out of his roof.

Bill had to fight to keep it though, and we’re grateful to the Guardian’s Jim Waterson for sharing this excerpt from the government’s final ruling on the matter, which is just brilliant.

And because that’s so tricky to read, here’s the bit in blue all over again.

‘The council is understandably concerned about precedent here. The first concern is simple: proliferation with sharks (and Heaven knows what else) crashing through roofs all over the city.

‘This fear is exaggerated.

‘In the five years since the shark was erected, no other examples have occurred. Only very recently has there been a proposal for twin baby sharks in the Iffley Road.

‘But any system of control must make some small place for the dynamic, the unexpected, the downright quirky. I therefore recommend that the Headington shark must be allowed to remain.’

And here are a few of the things people had to say in response to the post, inclusion memories of the shark and the man himself.

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https://twitter.com/histoftech/status/1113368044666015744

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https://twitter.com/stevenpoole/status/1113381581245308930

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