A cat who used to greet commuters at Stevenage railway station is set to keep doing it in bronze.
A 1.7 metre memorial statue of Nala will be installed on the walkway connecting Stevenage’s Arts and Leisure Centre with the station, after Stevenage Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plans on Tuesday.
Nala became an internet sensation by perching on a ticket barrier at the Hertfordshire station and greeting passengers before her death in December.
Planning officer Ailsa Davis said the statue would sit on a pedestal “designed to resemble a station ticket barrier”.
It will be paid for through a crowdfunding campaign and created by artist Ben Twiston-Davies, who has offered his services for free.
The plans followed hundreds of messages of support sent to the council from across the UK and overseas.
MP Kevin Bonavia said: “As people arrive in Stevenage for years to come, Nala will continue to welcome them in her own special way and remind us of the unique community spirit that makes our town such a special place.”
Nala’s owner, Natasha Ambler, set up the Facebook page The Adventures of Nala in October 2023, which quickly grew to 25,000 followers.
That year she released a Christmas single with proceeds donated to the RSPCA and homelessness charity Feed Up Warm Up.
After Nala’s death, Ambler said she had “lost a member of the family”.
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