Beloved horse-zebra statue at Brussels station saved after outcry

A much-loved statue of a horse wearing a zebra costume that has welcomed passengers to Belgium for over 20 years will remain in place after a successful campaign to save it.

The horse, named Sam, is one of the first things Eurostar passengers arriving in Brussels see after they step off the train in Midi station, and a surreal “meeting place, conversation point and Brussels institution”.

Well over 1,000 people signed a petition to save the equine monument, which currently belongs to Sam’s Café, a Belgian outlet that sells drinks and light meals.

But with British sandwich outlet Pret A Manger set to move into the space later this year, the statue was threatened with removal – with staff at the displaced outlet telling concerned customers that it had just weeks to remain.

“It’s basically the equivalent of Le Pain Quotidien setting up in Paddington Station and taking the statue of Paddington Bear down because it doesn’t fit their corporate image. It’s an outrage,” said Alan Beattie, a Brussels based writer said.

“It is an institution,” said petitioner Miryam Hernandez Irigoyen. “My German mother in law who speaks not a word of French got lost at Midi – how did we find her? Thanks to Sam! Everyone knows to meet at the zebra horse.”

The statue, which would have knowingly watched over Britain’s team of Brexit negotiators as they arrived for talks, was at one point considered for relocation as a possible museum exhibit. The Brussels Museums Council described the work as “a landmark, a national treasure” that was “just like the Atomium and Manneken-Pis”.

In March, Pret A Manger had confirmed the horse-zebra was being removed and said in a statement they were “working with our partners to make sure [Sam] is rehomed somewhere safe”.

All was thought lost after one journalist reported on Thursday afternoon that the statue was missing from its place and had been “removed some time in the last 24 hours”.

But The Independent can reveal that Pret A Manger has had a last-minute change of heart, acquired the surreal statue, and will install it back in its original location outside their shop when it opens.

Michael Haley, Partnerships Managing Director at Pret, said: “We’ve listened to feedback and I’m really pleased to announce that Sam the Horse-Zebra will join the Pret team at Gare du Midi station, helping to welcome new customers to the shop.”

The Pret a Manger at Gare Midi will be the first in Belgium, opening at the same time as another new store in nearby Gare Central.

Upon hearing the news that the statue had been saved, Jim Brunsden, who organised the petition, joked: “Great news! It means I can put my plans for a human chain to protect him on hold.”