THE Babycham statue is back where it belongs at Showerings Cider Mill, in Shepton Mallet.
Rumours and concerns about the fate of the famous Babycham Bambi went into overdrive after it was removed from the roof of the mill.
Owners Brothers Drinks Co. Ltd have today (Tuesday, December 7) confirmed the 60-year-old statue’s return after a complete refurbishment and repaint undertaken to celebrate the company re-acquiring the brand from Accolade Wines.
The family-owned company plans to reinvigorate the brand and relaunch it in 2022.
To mark the brand’s return to its ancestral home, the iconic 15ft statue has been given new lease of life with Showering Blue paint gifted by PPG paints and repainted by local paint company Sprayline Ltd.
The restored deer will be displayed at Kilver Court, known as Babycham Gardens, at the Pop-Up Christmas in aid of the National Bereavement Partnership on Wednesday and Thursday between 9.30am and 5pm.
Matthew Showering said: “The removal of the Babycham statue has been a hot topic over the past couple of weeks, but we're proud to finally reveal that as a business we have acquired the Babycham brand and it is back where it belongs.
"It was high time our well-loved statue, which takes pride of place in Shepton Mallet, received some love, so we were delighted to do so as part of the celebrations.
“We're looking forward to welcoming the community to the Christmas Pop-Up this week, where visitors can come and see the beloved Babycham Bambi, take some photos and hopefully have a fantastic time celebrating with us.”
Babycham was originally launched across the UK in 1953 and invented by Francis Showering, who helped start Brothers Drinks Co Ltd in Shepton Mallet in 1992.
The brand became a revolution in the drinks industry and a classic signature drink for many in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
It is widely considered one of the most successful drink launches of the 20th Century.
The news forms part of the company’s strategy and future plans following exceptionally strong growth performance in 2021 and follows the announcement that it had acquired Kilver Court, the Showering family ancestral family home.
Babycham will join the Brothers Drinks Co. Ltd portfolio, which, as well as its own brands, also produces cider, beer, spirits and soft drinks for third parties.
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