That was the message from the town sculpture's designer following the suggestion it could be moved to the mall.
The giant apple, pear, nectarine and apricot sculpture was built by the Cromwell Rotary Club at the entrance to the town near State Highway 8B, and handed over to the Cromwell Borough Council in 1990.
Designer Otto Muller (91), of Ripponvale, came up with the idea to acknowledge the contribution the fruits made to the Central Otago economy.
This week, the Cromwell Community Board considered concept plans for a $3.1 million town centre revamp.
In one of the landscape architect's designs, the big fruit was shown in a new site, close to Murray Tce, on the corner of the car park next to the skate park.
''I think any suggestion of shifting the fruit will cause an uproar, I absolutely do,'' board deputy chairwoman Helen Hucklebridge said at the meeting.
Board chairman Neil Gillespie said yesterday the suggestion to move the fruit was just one idea in a preliminary concept design from a landscape architect.
The idea was not promoted by the board.
''We need to do more work on the designs for that area and shifting the fruit is one idea, as is realigning the state highway.
''But they're just two ideas and over the next year we'll get further design work, consult with people, finalise the plans and look at starting work in that area in June or July next year.''
Cromwell's new information centre was going to be built next to the sculpture.
Plans changed in January, when the Central Otago District Council resolved to lease a yet-to-be-built building in Murray Tce, rather than spend $1.6 million on a new information centre.
Council chief executive Phil Melhopt said at the time the site, next to Subway, was further away from the highway than the original proposal but would save ratepayers money.
Approached for comment yesterday about the possibility the fruit sculpture could be moved, Mr Muller said it was in a perfect location now.
''The idea with the big fruit was to have it visible by drivers coming from Queenstown, from Wanaka and from Alexandra.
''Something that would catch their attention, not a gimmick, but something that represented the importance of the fruit industry to this region.''
Although relocating the sculpture closer to the shops might benefit retailers, he believed it was in the right spot.
He suggested a kiosk selling ice creams and drinks could be set up beside it.
''People stopping there would need a toilet stop and, of course, the toilets are next to the shops, so that would help bring people into the town,'' Mr Muller said.
Adding grapes or cherries to the sculpture was often suggested but if they were done at the same scale as the other fruit, the additions would be ''lost'' among the other fruit, he said.
Cromwell Promotion Group chairman Adrian Somerville said the group had not discussed the matter ''but personally, I think it would be a bad move and it should stay where it is''.
