Bradford & Bingley urged to let Stan laurel's hat go to city museum

9:32am Monday 1st February 2010

By James Rush

It was the hat worn by one half of what is widely regarded as the world’s greatest film comedy duo.

But Stan Laurel’s famous bowler has been gathering dust in a cupboard at Bradford & Bingley’s Crossflatts headquarters since the bank was part-nationalised in September 2008.

Now, an avid Laurel and Hardy fan is campaigning for it to be put on display at the National Media Museum in Bradford, on the suggestion of Stan’s daughter, Lois Laurel-Hawes.

David Oyston, of Gilstead, near Bingley, a member of the Laurel and Hardy appreciation society Sons of the Desert, said: “I was talking to Lois and I was wondering what would happen to the bowler hat when the Bradford & Bingley moved out of Bingley. She said a nice place for it would be the National Media Museum.”

Mr Oyston, 72, said news of the probable demolition of the B&B’s former HQ, in Main Street, Bingley, which was revealed by the Telegraph & Argus last week, had rekindled his desire to find out what had happened to the hat. He has now written to the B&B, suggesting it be put on public display.

He said: “It was just an idea that I thought I would check, rather than it being locked away in a dusty office somewhere in the Bradford & Bingley. All I’m concerned about is the safety of the hat.

“It would be nice for it to be seen on display in the Media Museum, rather than down at the Bradford & Bingley.”

The hat was bought by the B&B for £2,000 when it came up for auction about ten years ago to complement its famous bowler hats branding. It was taken on display at the bank’s branches around the country.

But since the bank’s downfall which led parts of it to be nationalised with the rest sold off to Spanish banking giant Santander, the hat has been safely locked away and is being held at its Crossflatts headquarters.

The B&B has told the T&A it will now consider Mr Oyston’s letter and would be happy to help if it could.

Andy Wiggans, its commercial director, said: “The bowler hat is an iconic symbol of Bradford & Bingley and Stan and Ollie.

Paul Goodman, head of collections at the National Media Museum, said: “Artefacts relating to film and film-making are an important part of the collection here at the National Media Museum.

“We would always be interested in taking a closer look at objects that relate to popular cinema culture should they become available under the right terms.”