Wellywood - 'knock it down, no questions'

An AirNZ jet lands at Wellington Airport. Photo / NZ Herald

A Marlborough brewery has joined growing opposition to a giant sign on a hillside near Wellington Airport by offering 15 cases of beer to whoever destroys it once it is put up.

Wellington Airport is funding the 30m long, 8m tall Wellywood sign which mimics the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.

Blenheim brewery Moa is offering 15 cases of beer "no questions asked" to "anyone who knocks it down".

"Seeing as the sign itself is completely un-original it would be nice if it could be destroyed in a completely original way, so feel free to think outside the box a bit," the brewery said on its website.

The company has joined a growing opposition to the sign and as of this afternoon 14,930 people liked the Facebook group "Wellingtonians Against the Wellywood Sign", while others voiced their disdain on Twitter and other websites.

Many users described the sign as tacky, a waste of money and a likely target for vandalism.

The Facebook group "Driving Protest at Wellington Airport: NO WELLYWOOD SIGN!" plans to protest the sign by staging a "slow-moving vehicle blockade" around the airport's drop off area between 6pm and 7pm today.

So far 119 people say they are attending the protest, which plans to "seriously disrupt the airport's operations".

Meanwhile, another Facebook group was shutdown after members suggested blowing up and setting fire to the sign.

The "Support WELLYWOOD" page has 9636 likes.

Wellington Airport spokeswoman Kat Lintott told NZPA today the airport would be going ahead with building the sign despite the opposition.

Moa's campaign was positive and "tongue in cheek" in a similar vein to the sign itself, Ms Lintott said.

"As long as there is no vandalism against it I think the idea is positive," she said.

She said the airport had a strong policy on graffiti and vandalism and would be "keeping an eye" on the sign once it was erected.

The airport would also be monitoring the situation surrounding the planned blockade this evening.

"We are happy for people to protest peacefully.. and as long as it's a peaceful protest and our travellers can still get to and from the airport safely then we are happy for them to voice their opinion."

Airport chief executive Steve Fitzgerald earlier said: "I expect widespread support for the intent of a sign, even if a Wellywood sign isn't everyone's cup of tea. Everyone benefits from increasing tourism for Wellington."

The structure has already received resource consent and was expected to be erected on an area of the Miramar hillside, owned by Wellington Airport, in June.

The company gave no indication of just how soon the sign will be hoisted up the hillside, its colour or how much it will cost.

- NZPA