New Era Square’s Pandas Named!

Last month, the team behind the £66 million New Era Square development at St Mary’s Gate asked The Star’s readers to provide name suggestions for their eye-catching family of pandas.

After a fantastic response which saw readers send in dozens of different names, Star editor Nancy Fielder was asked to make the final, difficult decision. So, without further ado…

The panda that sits on a bench at ground level in New Era’s public square, is to be known as Little Mester. The term Little Mester refers to a master craftsman working on a small scale – famously in small cutlery workshops in Sheffield. 

The Second panda, which can be seen clambering up the side of a pillar, is to be known as Coe Coe – a play on the name of the City’s adopted Olympian, Seb Coe.

And finally, the giant rooftop panda that weighs an impressive 1,350kg, is to be known as Hendo. Named after our famous relish of course.

Jerry Cheung, Managing Director of New Era Developments, said:

“With New Era Square, we wanted to create an iconic destination that is unique to Sheffield and a public space that the locals feel a sense of ownership towards. So, we are thrilled to see that the winning panda names reflect a little bit of Sheffield’s special heritage and personality.”