They are the new wave legends who gave the world a string of iconic hits including True, Gold and Only When You Leave.

Yet, 40 years after its members met at a Finsbury school before rising to worldwide fame, Islington remains without a tribute landmark to the band Spandau Ballet.

Now, the Tribune can exclusively reveal that the 1984 Sony Award For Technical Excellence winners will be honoured with a bronze statue at the Angel Central shopping centre.

Angel Central managers have unveiled plans to replace the iconic Angel Wings metal sculpture at the centre’s Liverpool Road entrance with a statue of the five musicians following a poll conducted among Islington residents.

More than 15,000 people – out of an overall population of 215,667 – were asked their views, with a staggering 74 per cent in favour of a Spandau Ballet statue.

Overjoyed fans were seen celebrating at the shopping centre upon hearing the news this week, with one tearful follower telling the Tribune: “It means so much to us to have a tribute to our beloved band here and encourage everybody to celebrate our local heroes. It’s good to remind people of them and of what they gave to the world. And Spandau Ballet gave us so, so much.”

The move was backed by Town Hall chief Richard Watts, who admitted to having been a “massive fan” of the band since the inception of the New Romantic movement in the 1980s. “Spandau Ballet are Islington’s finest sons and they should absolutely be honoured in this way,” he said.

• Keywords
  STATUES, POPULAR MUSIC, APRIL FOOL'S DAY
• Geographical keyword
  LIVERPOOL ROAD
• Persons keyword
  Liverpool Road Angel Centre, Spandau Ballet [Popular Music Group]