Harry Potter fans pushed for a £430 million power cable to be rerouted to avoid an unofficial memorial to Dobby the house elf, bringing new attention to just how strongly the franchise continues to resonate with its adult fanbase.
The Greenlink interconnector connects Wales and Ireland, with the cable coming ashore at Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire.
The beach was used to film Dobby’s death and burial in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One and has since become a popular destination for fans.
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Simon Ludlam, who managed the Greenlink project at the time, later appeared on BBC Wales to discuss the project and revealed on The Energy Revolution podcast how concerns over the original proposed route had led to the cable being moved away from Dobby’s grave.
“We got hundreds of calls, I mean hundreds,” Ludlam said, referring to the response from Harry Potter fans.
A colleague later explained to him that the planned route would pass through the area fans considered Dobby’s grave. The project team then returned to planners and worked out a different route to avoid the memorial.
The story has renewed attention on the enduring attachment many adult fans have to Harry Potter, something Miriam Margolyes, who played Professor Sprout in the film series, has previously questioned.
During a March 2024 interview with New Zealand broadcaster 1News, Margolyes questioned why some adults who grew up with Harry Potter remained so invested in the franchise.
“I worry about Harry Potter fans. They should be over that by now. It was 25 years ago, and it’s for children. I think it’s for children. But they get stuck in it,” Margolyes said.
She also mentioned some of the Harry Potter-themed requests she receives through Cameo, including from couples incorporating the franchise into their weddings.
“I do cameos and people say, ‘Oh, I’m having a Harry Potter-themed wedding,’” she added.
@metroentertainment “It’s over.” ð¬ Miriam Margolyes has slammed ‘Harry Potter fans’ who are still obsessed with the franchise. Talking on the How To Fail with @elizabday Podcast, Miriam says: “I do Cameos and people say ‘oh, I’m having a Harry Potter themed wedding’ and I think, gosh, what’s their first night of fun going to be?” ð Miriam is best known for her role as Professor Sprout in the series, and during her character’s Herbology class in the Chamber of Secrets, she shows second-year students Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger how to re-pot mandrakes (magical plants). We all remember the screams. ðð¼â What are your thoughts on Miriam’s comments? ð ð² Follow us for popular entertainment content and more. #harrypotter #harrypotterreboot #chamberofsecrets #prisonerofazkaban #danielradcliffe #jkrowling #hermionegranger #ronweasley #britishfilms #harrypotterfranchise #deathlyhallows #gobletoffire #emmawatson #rupertgrint #hagrid #miriammargolyes #news #musicnews #filmnews #movienews #popculturenews #publication #realitytv #watch #react #greenscreen #film #filmtok #movietok #awards #oscars #grammys #emmys #musicnews #celebnews #greenscreen #presenter #filmnews #tvnews #goldenglobes #british #media #genz #video #popculture #popcrave #popbase #stanculture #stan #instagram #twitter #online #digital #viral #trending #breakingnews #follow #like #funny #meme #viralvideos #tiktok #memesdaily #humour #duet #music #relationship #drama #popular #entertainment #2024 #metro #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ⬠original sound – Metro Entertainment
Margolyes returned to the subject later that month during an appearance on Australia’s ABC News Breakfast, where she stood by her comments about adult Harry Potter fans.
She said she understood that people who grew up with the franchise may still have affection for it, but maintained that she believed it was time for adult fans to move on to other things.
The unofficial Dobby memorial had already caused concerns several years earlier.
In 2022, National Trust Wales considered the future of the memorial because of the number of people visiting Freshwater West and leaving socks, painted stones and other tributes at the site.
The National Trust launched a public consultation asking whether the memorial should remain or be removed from the environmentally sensitive beach.
Following the consultation, Dobby’s memorial was allowed to remain. Visitors were encouraged to take photographs rather than leave more objects at the site because of concerns about their impact on the environment.
More than two decades after the first Harry Potter film was released, the franchise continues to have a large adult following.
It is also preparing for another major return to screens, with HBO developing a new television adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s seven Harry Potter books with a new cast.
Source: Khaleej Times