Harry Potter fans force relocation of £430m undersea cable to avoid Dobby’s ‘grave’ A group of Harry Potter fans has successfully lobbied to reroute a £430 million undersea power cable linking the UK and Ireland, persuading the project’s developers to avoid a site they claimed was the fictional “grave” of Dobby, a character from J.K. Rowling’s series. The cable, known as the Greenlink interconnector, was initially planned to pass near Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where fans had gathered to commemorate the elf’s supposed resting place. The relocation came after widespread public outcry and pressure from the wizarding community. The controversy began when project manager Simon Ludlam inadvertently revealed the cable’s proposed route during a BBC interview. He described the 125-mile (200km) cable’s path, which would have run underground near the beach, during a segment about the project’s progress. The footage was later aired, sparking hundreds of calls to the company’s office. Fans, who had long associated the site with Dobby’s fictional burial, argued that the cable’s presence would desecrate the area, despite the National Trust’s warnings about the beach’s ecological sensitivity. Ludlam, who initially had no knowledge of Dobby’s significance, expressed confusion over the calls. A colleague informed him that the project’s route was perceived as passing through the elf’s “grave,” prompting Ludlam to question the validity of the claim. “I said: ‘Dobby, who’s Dobby? I don’t know Dobby?’” he recalled. “He’s a fictitious character in a fictitious book, the whole thing is fictitious, what are you talking about?’” The colleague insisted the issue was serious, leading the company to consult planners and adjust the cable’s path.#j_k_rowling #harry_potter_fans #dobby #pembrokeshire #greenlink_interconnector
Harry Potter fans force power link diversion to avoid Dobby's grave Harry Potter fans succeeded in persuading engineers to reroute a £430 million power cable linking the UK and Ireland after they claimed the original plan would disturb a "memorial" to Dobby, the fictional House Elf from the Harry Potter series. The project, known as the Greenlink interconnector, involves a 125-mile cable stretching between County Wexford in Ireland and Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The site is notable for being the location where Dobby’s death was filmed in the Harry Potter films, a scene that has become a pilgrimage spot for fans. Project manager Simon Ludlam of Etchea Energy revealed that the cable’s original route was set to pass near the tribute site, prompting widespread backlash from fans. Ludlam told the Energy Revolution podcast that the project had initially been planned to run directly through the area, but the outcry led to a last-minute adjustment. “We did the shot, we finished, I went back to London, and they then aired it a couple of weeks later,” he said, describing how a BBC News interview about the project turned into a public relations crisis after fans learned of the planned route. Ludlam recounted receiving “hundreds of calls” from fans who insisted the cable would “go straight through Dobby’s grave.” Initially skeptical, he questioned the validity of the concern, stating, “I don’t know Dobby? He’s a fictitious character in a fictitious book… the whole thing is fictitious.” His colleague, however, clarified that the issue was taken seriously, prompting Ludlam to collaborate with planners to adjust the cable’s path. “A lot of people were very happy about that, and the project is now going [ahead], and Dobby’s happy,” he said, humorously acknowledging the fans’ influence.#harry_potter_fans #etchea_energy #dobby #county_wexford #pembrokeshire
