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Saturday, November 1, 2025

Scaffolders forced to remove giant Union Jack netting

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Union Jack Scaffold Netting
Image courtesy of Caters News Agency

Scaffolders have been forced to remove a giant Union Jack flag they created from netting.

The Sun have reported that Development managers complained the patriotic workmen did not get permission to use three colours of netting.

Inspired by Team GB in the Olympic and Paralympic games, the creative Bristol builders used red, white and blue mesh to create a huge replica of the British flag while covering the city centre’s Colston Tower.

Bosses say the covering should have been plain blue, and demanded it was taken down only hours after it was created.

Contractors Pocock Safety Netting and Advanced Scaffolding came up with the idea for the flag.

Workers believed it would brighten up the 14-storey building for months while builders of CW Duke carried out refurbishment work.

Lee Pocock, of Pocock Safety Netting, said: “I just think it was a bit unfair. We just wanted to do something for Team GB.”

Paul Evans, the managing director of CW Duke, denied colour had anything to do with it.

He said: “The netting was put up without permission or agreement being sought from CW Duke.

“Had the appropriate permissions been sought and granted, CW Duke would have been proud to put up a Union Jack.”

Mr Evans continued. “But we are a professional company and act accordingly. In this situation the correct procedures were not followed.”

Paul Rich, from Advanced Scaffolding, admitted they did not have permission from either the owners of Colston Tower or CW Duke.

He said: “It was our fault, we didn’t have permission to do it, but we didn’t think it would be a problem.”

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