Cardboard cut-out of Taylor Swift loved by commuters to be sold at auction

A cardboard cut-out of Taylor Swift that has cheered up commuters for over five years is to be auctioned off to raise funds for charity.

The life-size likeness of the ‘Shake It Off’ star has looked out from an apartment window in Manchester since 2017 and is loved by Metrolink tram passengers.

It quickly became a landmark among city centre commuters as it can be viewed from the Cornbrook Metrolink stop and it even has its own hashtag on Twitter.

But when the flat’s owner Red Redmond, 32, announced they were moving to Sheffield, commuters feared a blank space would be there instead of the cut out.

However, fans will have the chance to bring the iconic cut-out, which has been nicknamed ‘Tram Taylor’, home when it goes under the hammer later this month.

Red hopes the cut-out’s popularity among commuters can raise funds for the Mermaids Charity, which supports gender-diverse youngsters.

Red, a comedy promotor, said they chose the charity after the murder of trans teen Brianna Ghey in nearby Warrington.

They said: ‘She’s had so much support and means so much to so many people as they see her on their commute every day.

‘So we wanted to maximise the amount of people she can benefit.

‘We wanted to give one lucky bidder to the opportunity to walk home with a small piece of cultural heritage.

‘But then all of the proceeds that we do raise, will go to the Mermaids charity which is quite important to us particularly following the tragic murder of Brianna Ghey.’

Commuters love story with Taylor will continue, as Red has purchased a new cut-out to go in the window of the two-bed apartment as a replacement.

It was recently listed for £1,050 a month and Red has added a clause into the tenancy agreement which says the new owner has to keep it in the window.

Red added: ‘We made the decision to keep a Taylor Swift cut out in the window.

‘So the one that’s currently in the window isn’t the original cardboard cut-out but it’s a new one to help benefit the commuters of Manchester who see her every day.

‘We’ve even added a clause to the tenancy agreement which means that the new tenant has to keep Taylor in the window and replace her if she gets damaged.

‘I haven’t personally met the new tenant so I don’t know if they are a fan but they’ve accepted the clause.

‘They live there now and are currently looking after her so they must be a fan on some level surely.’

Red is unsure how much money the figure of the ‘Anti-Hero’ singer will go for, but they said one person has said ‘they are going to spend their lives’ savings’ on it.

They said: ‘I did a fundraiser for Mermaids on my Twitch channel a couple of years ago and managed to raise £500 so I would really like to raise more than that.

‘But I’ve seen one person claiming that they are going to spend their lives’ savings on it, I don’t know how true it is but threats have been made.’

The cardboard cut-out will be going to auction at Adam Partridge Auctioneers from April 12 to April 14.

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