Selfridges offers £10k to Sidebottom family

[dutchman]

Selfridges has offered the family of Frank Sidebottom's creator Chris Sievey £10,000 after appearing to use the comic character's head without permission.



The window display at the chain's flagship Oxford Street branch featured several duplicates of Sidebottom's famous oversized head, angering fans of Sievey, who died in June.

According to the Manchester Evening News, a Selfridges spokesman said: "We were concerned to hear of the similarities between the heads on some of the mannequins in our new Christmas display and that of the Frank Sidebottom character created by Chris Sievey.

"After investigation we can see why some fans of Chris Sievey's character as well as some of the creator's friends and family have reacted so quickly to this feature of our current windows."

He continued: "We sincerely apologise if this has offended anyone and we have been keen to resolve matters quickly. We have offered to give £10,000 to Chris Sievey's estate and for them to decide how to best use this donation.

"We will also ensure that a suitable acknowledgement is made to Mr Sievey's work in our window displays and in store."

James Malach, who runs Sidebottom's Radio Timperley website, added to BBC News: "On the one hand they should have asked permission from the family, which I'm sure they would have given, but on the other hand this is the kind of fuss which Chris/Frank would have loved."