An Update on the Headington Shark

 

The Headington Shark was erected on August 9, 1986, by homeowner Bill Heine and sculptor John Buckley. The local planning commission was not notified, and no building permit was issued. The council didn't want to forgive the violation of its authority, and didn't want to encourage other people to do that sort of thing. Heine battled bureaucrats for years to get permission to leave the shark up. Over time, it became clear that no one else was going to cut through their roofs to make a statement, so the shark was eventually reconsidered as a unique piece of art. The neighbors went from shock to amusement to pride in the shark. Tom Scott gets the whole story from Bill Heine's son and current owner of the house Magnus Hanson-Heine.