Shark, Headington, Oxford

Media reports in 2022 concerning Oxford Heritage Asset Register listing

On 23 March 2022 the Planning Committee of Oxford City Council voted to add the Headington Shark to the city's Heritage Asset Register, following a nomination by a member of the public, despite the vehement opposition of the Shark's current owner, Magnus Hanson-Heine:

ITV Meridian, 24 March 2022:
“Adding iconic Headington shark to heritage list is 'ignorant' claims owner”
BBC Oxford, 24 March 2022:
“Headington Shark added to Oxford Heritage Asset Register”
Daily Mirror, 25 March 2022:
“House with giant shark in roof gets heritage status despite owner's objection”
Daily Telegraph, 24 March 2022 (limited viewing):
“Oxford's rooftop shark sculpture gets heritage status”
Independent, 25 March 2022:
“House with huge shark sticking out of roof given listed building status despite owner’s objections”
The Times, 25 March 2022 (viewing token will probably expire):
“Shark’s new hero status leaves son reeling”
Guardian, 25 March 2022:
“Oxford house with shark sculpture on roof made heritage site despite owner’s objection”
Nottingham Post, 24 March 2022:
“Nottingham scientist's fury after famous Headington Shark house added to Oxford heritage register”
Washington Post, 25 March 2022:
“UK Shark House owner dismayed at getting protected status”
New York Post, 26 March 2022:
“Owner of UK ‘Shark House’ gripes at landmark protection”

There were also the following articles prior to the decision:

ITV News, 14 January 2022:
“Controversial rooftop shark could be protected for the future as part of Oxford heritage plans”
The Sun, 26 January 2022:
“GREAT FIGHT I have a 25ft shark sticking out of my house – I’m locked in a bitter row with the council who are making life hell”
BBC Radio Oxford, 28 January 2022:
David Prever asks the owner why he opposes the shark being added to the register
Oxford Mail 30 January 2022:
“Shark House owner in row with council over whether it should be protected”
Daily Mail, 31 January 2022:
“Owner of house with 25ft SHARK sticking out of its roof is fighting council plans to give it listed status - because it was installed by his father in 1986 as a protest AGAINST planning laws”
Independent, 2 February 2022:
“Owner of house with 25ft shark sticking out of roof hits out at calls to give it protected status”
Cherwell, 5 Febuary 2022:
“Headington Shark at centre of heritage dispute”
RTL News, Germany, 8 February 2022:
“Dieses Hausdach ist ein Hai-Light”

Media reports following Bill Heine's death in April 2019

Stats April 2019
Above: Massive spike in the number of
people visiting the Headington Shark page
(from c.20 a day to 6,400 on 4 April 2019)
following the news of Bill Heine's death

Oxford Mail, 3 April 2019:
“BILL HEINE: The Oxford broadcaster's life in pictures”
Oxford Mail, 4 April 2019:
“Bill Heine - the story behind the Headington shark”
Telegraph, 4 April 2019:
“Bill Heine, journalist and broadcaster who made waves when he put a fibreglass shark on the roof of his house – obituary”
Guardian, 7 April 2019:
“'It went in beautifully as the postman was passing': the story of the Headington Shark”
New Zealand, 8 April 2019:
“The story behind the giant shark crashing into a UK roof”
Oxford Times: Grey Matter, 11 April 2019:
Chris Gray on his long friendship with the late Bill Heine
The Times,12 April 2019 (subscription needed to see it all);
Bill Heine obituary: “Eccentric broadcaster who enraged town planners by dropping a 25ft fibreglass shark through his roof and won a battle to keep it there”
The Paris Review, 2 May 2019:
Stuck in Limbo
The New Yorker, 5 May 2019:
“In memory of the Englishman who kept a shark in his roof”
Morris Oxford, 7 May 2019:
“Shark”
Oxford Mail report on his memorial service, 29 August 2019:
“Oxford remembers Bill Heine at memorial service at University Church of St Mary”

Media reports from 2018

BBC Oxford video on Facebook, August 2018:
“32 years of the Headington Shark”
Oxford Mail, 8 August 2018:
“A sting in the tail: Shark maintenance begins – but there's a problem”
Oxford Mail, 20 January 2018:
“'Shark house' man Bill Heine to receive honour from former nemesis Oxford City Council”

Media response in late 2017/2018 to idea of Shark becoming heritage asset

Shark Stats

Shark

There was a flurry of national and international media interest in the Headington Shark in late 2017, reflected in the sharp spike in the stats for the Shark page on this website between 15 and 23 December (right).

This all stemmed from an article in the Oxford Mail about city councillor Ruth Wilkinson's hope that local residents would put it forward as a suggestion for the council's heritage asset register (and possibly even apply to get it listed by Historic England).

So far, however, no such applications appear to have been made, despite the massive international media coverage below, some of which is inaccurate:

Telegraph, 23 May 2018:
“Owner of Oxford shark house now begins fight to have monument protected after his death”
Oxford Mail, 19 May 2018:
“Oxford shark house heritage bid set to go in on Tuesday”
Oxford Mail, 17 December 2017:
“The council that didn't want it joins calls for 'shark house'
to be saved for future generations”
BBC local news 18 December 2017:
“Campaign for council to recognise Headington shark”
Also on ITN national news on 18 December 2017
The Sun, 18 December 2017:
“JAWSOME Home with a 25ft Great White SHARK sticking
out its roof to become a protected tourist spot”
Daily Mail, 19 December 2017:
“House with a 25ft Great White Shark sticking out of the roof
is due to become listed in a campaign by the very council
that ordered it to be demolished 28 years ago”
Telegraph, 19 December 2017:
“House with 25ft great white shark on its roof could
be given listed status by council who wanted it demolished”
Repeated by MSN News
AOL Newsletter, 19 December 2017:
“Bid to get house with 25ft great white shark on roof listed status”
Metro, 19 December 2017:
“House with 25ft shark in the roof to be made national treasure”
Web Top News, 19 December 2017:
“House with White Shark sticking out its roof to become a protected tourist spot”
USA: New York Post, 19 December 2017:
“House with shark on roof may become protected landmark”
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand Herald, 19 December 2017:
“Oxford shark house saved from jaws of extinction”
FRANCE: 20 Minutes, 19 December 2017:
“Angleterre: Le célèbre requin de Headington ne sera finalement pas détruit”
AUSTRALIA: Real Estate, 20 December 2017:
“Heritage listing for world-famous shark house?”
AUSTRALIA: Honey Homes, 21 December 2017:
“Shark House may be heritage-listed”
Oxfordshire Guardian, 21 December 2017:
“Plan to have ‘shark house’ listed”
The Times, 21 December 2017:
“Shark-roof house goes fishing for listed status”

Media reports 2002–2011

Oxford Mail, 14 December 2002:
“Shark adds bite to advert”
Oxford Mail, 12 December 2003:
“Shabby shark house angers residents”

Oxford Mail, 9 August 2006:
“Fans Mark 20 fin-tastic years”
Oxford Mail, 5 July 2007:
“Shark comes of age”
Oxford Mail, 8 August 2007:
“Shark comes of age”
Guardian leader, 9 August 2007
“In praise of … the Headington shark”
The Times, 9 August 2007:
“The Headington Shark is 21 today”
Oxford Mail, 15 August 2007:
“The dawn of Bill’s amazing flying fish”
The Guardian, 7 December 2010:
“Spice up the suburbs with the help of the localism bil
Oxford Mail, 2 August 2011:
“Plunging into roof of Headington house” and Comment
Oxford Mail, 11 August 2011:
“Iconic Shark marks 25th anniversary”
Oxford Mail, 16 November 2011:
“Famous shark property available to rent” (16 November 2011)

Media reports 1987–1992

These articles about the original battle for the shark are too early to be available online

Independent on Sunday, 1987:
“Deep waters”
Isis student magazine, 1980s:
“Hark hark the shark”
Guardian, 7 August 1989:
“Flying shark lands in court”
Sunday Correspondent, 26 November 1989:
“The hunting of the shark”