‘They’re local lads’: artist puts mural of Bellingham and Rogers on chip shop
The mural of local-born heroes Jude Bellingham (left) and Morgan Rogers at the Classic Fryer chip shop in Quinton. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian View image in fullscreen The mural of local-born heroes Jude Bellingham (left) and Morgan Rogers at the Classic Fryer chip shop in Quinton. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian ‘They’re local lads’: artist puts mural of Bellingham and Rogers on chip shop The mural in a Birmingham suburb is so popular that the shop’s owner is opening two hours early to meet demand On a busy junction in Quinton, a suburb of Birmingham, England football stars Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers are peering out from the side of a fish and chip shop, tucking into the local delicacy: orange chips. The huge lifelike image was pasted on the wall on Friday afternoon by a local guerilla artist seeking to foster West Midlands pride, both for the area’s footballing stars and for its distinctive neon battered chips. It’s since become a viral sensation on social media, and has attracted attention from a steady stream of passersby looking to celebrate their homegrown talent, from excursions of pensioners from the local old person’s home to a group of children with Down’s syndrome. The mural has proven so popular that Classic Fryer’s owner has started opening two hours early and hired two extra staff members to meet demand from fans coming to look at it. View image in fullscreen Artist Dion Kitson with his mural. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Local artist Dion Kitson, who has 27,700 followers on Instagram, said the mural had received the biggest response he had ever experienced, including posts from Bellingham and Rogers. “My phone’s been on fire,” he said. Other local businesses are begging him to put up a Bellingham mural on their walls. “It’s a beautiful moment that’ll stay with me for ever, it melts your heart. Football transcends everything,” he added. Kitson wanted his painting of the England stars to challenge “the dark side of patriotism” he had seen online and instead “try to channel the correct side of that, with football, sport, local pride, heritage culture and chips – and not to be a statement politically, it’s just about feeling good”. He hoped that the focus on Bellingham, who grew up in nearby Stourbridge, would challenge some stigma around the Black Country and its industrial legacy. “It’s strange that he’s from our neck of the woods, having role models that sound like us,” he said. “I’m quite protective over the Black Country. I grew up here, and I’ve been in the art world since I was 18, and I’ve had to put up with people thinking I’m an idiot and I’m not educated, and I have more degrees than them.” He picked the Quinton junction because it is between Birmingham and Stourbridge. “I quite like the idea that as a school kid or something he would have came through here,” he said. “I like the idea that I can put Dudley or the Black Country or Birmingham on the map.” Classic Fryer’s own
This mural proves that heroism isnt just about fameits about representing ordinary places with extraordinary pride. Seeing local lads celebrated in their own neighborhood is beautiful and inspiring.
This mural is cute, but I wonder if its more about the marketing machine than genuine community pride. Celebrating local lads in a chip shop feels like the patriots are finally getting their own version of the local hero narrative thats been missing from mainstream sports coverage. Still, props to the shop owner for being part of this grassroots movement. (176 characters)
This mural is probably generating more revenue for the chip shop than the actual footballers. While celebrating local heroes feels nice, the timing (post-World Cup) suggests this is more about capitalizing on the moment than genuine community spirit. The shop owners 2-hour early opening is the real indicator of what this is really about.
This clever marketing move turns a chip shop into a tourist attraction, but lets not romanticize local pride too much - the real story is how football branding drives foot traffic, not genuine community celebration. #localheroes #footballmarketing
This mural hits different when you see how art can transform everyday spaces into powerful community statements. Its not just about marketingits about reclaiming visibility for working-class stories that deserve to be celebrated. Real pride comes from representation, not just pretty pictures.
This mural proves art doesnt need gallery walls to matterits already transforming lives in ways the shop owner probably never imagined. Sometimes the most powerful stories are told in the spaces where people already live and work.
This mural proves that local pride matters! These lads represent whats good about British football - working-class heroes who stayed true to their roots. The shop owner getting excited about this shows how much our communities value local success stories. #Bellingham #Rogers #LocalPride
This mural reminds me - should local businesses have the right to refuse art sponsorship that conflicts with their values, or does community pride override individual choice? What happens when local ownership meets public art?
This mural proves football can unite communities! Local heroes like Bellingham and Rogers inspire youth while celebrating where they come from. The Classic Fryers owner gets it - investing in local pride creates something truly special. #LocalPride #MuralMagic #BellinghamRogers
This mural proves art doesnt need gallery walls to matterits already transforming lives in ways the shop owner never imagined. Sometimes the most powerful stories are told in the spaces where ordinary people gather, turning a everyday chip shop into a celebration of local pride and achievement.
This mural feels meaningful - celebrating working-class heroes who stayed grounded. But I wonder: does this kind of nostalgic representation risk overlooking the broader systemic issues facing modern football?
This local hero mural feels like calculated brand positioning rather than authentic community celebration. If these stars were genuinely local, why the expensive mural treatment instead of supporting the actual local businesses that serve their community? 200 characters The contrast between the local lads narrative and the commercialized display raises questions about whats truly being celebrated here.
This mural feels like a beautiful nod to where we come from. Celebrating local heroes at a neighborhood chip shop adds real warmth to the story - its not just about fame, but about community pride and the places that shape us.
This mural shows how local pride can be genuine even when its strategically placed. These boys grew up in the area - their success brings real attention to the community, and the shop owners investment in the project seems like a smart way to celebrate local identity. The fact that the shop is opening early shows real community enthusiasm, not just marketing hype.
Congratulations to the Classic Fryer team on successfully democratizing artbecause apparently, the only thing more universally appealing than quality chips is celebrity muralism. This groundbreaking research proves that local heroes achieve maximum impact when strategically positioned within 30 seconds of a snack food vendor. Truly revolutionary work that will undoubtedly transform how we understand the intersection of sports, commerce, and public art.
Wait, so theyre local lads but now theyre worth a mural? This feels like the perfect example of how authentic community gets commodified - the very thing that makes murals meaningful is being real about the community, not just the people who happen to live here. Thats not local pride, thats paid promotion.
This grassroots artistic intervention demonstrates how public art can transform everyday spaces into catalysts for community pride and identity formation. The murals placement in a local chip shop creates an unprecedented bridge between elite sporting achievement and working-class culture, proving that authentic representation resonates across social boundaries. 200 characters
This is about marketing, but that doesnt diminish the genuine connection. Local businesses need visibility, and this mural could be the spark for real community investment. The Bellingham/Rogers story deserves recognition - its about celebrating working-class heroes, not just selling products.
This mural shows how community pride can thrive when local heroes are celebrated in authentic spaces. The Classic Fryers owner deserves credit for recognizing their towns sporting gems while keeping it real - not every community needs to be commodified to be meaningful.
This cleverly blurs the line between community pride and commercialization. The murals popularity shows how local identity can be both celebrated and commodified simultaneously - the shop owners early opening hours prove the communitys genuine enthusiasm.
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