A new plaque alongside the statue of Aphrodite at the centre of the Richmond Terrace gardens is set to be erected in response to complaints over her body-shaming nickname.

The statue of the naked and voluptuous Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty caused quite a stir among residents when she was unveiled in the gardens in 1952.

Residents had been expecting a classical svelte rendition of Aphrodite and were scandalised by the more naturalistic and modern statue created by Alan Howe.

Angry locals dubbed the statue as 'Bulbous Betty' and the name stuck to the point it later featured on the official plaque describing the work of art.

The plaque carried the headline 'Aphrodite statue/ Bulbous Betty'. While the description explained how it had 'caused quite a furore' when first unveiled, adding some residents thought it was 'in bad taste'.

As a result, it stated: "Aphrodite was quickly re-christened Bulbous Betty, a nickname that remained."

However, some 70 years later there has now been a backlash against the nickname and a new plaque, which downplays the derogatory name, has been put up.

The new plaque is headed simply 'Aphrodite'.

It states: "This Portland Stone statue of Aphrodite, Greek goddess of beauty and love, was sculpted by Edgar Allen Howes and placed here in 1952.

"It replaced a cast iron fountain, which with iron railings on the Upper Terrace Boundary, had been removed during the Second World War as part of the war effort."

It adds: "Some people thought the statue in bad taste and derided the statue as Bulbous Betty, a nickname by which it continues to be popularly – and affectionately – known."

New wording downplays her nickname

Details were revealed by The Richmond Society in its latest newsletter. It said: "The Portland Stone statue in the Terrace Gardens on Richmond Hill was nicknamed Bulbous Betty from the time it was unveiled in 1952 and was identified as such on a plaque.

"Some thought it derogatory so the Council decided to replace it and asked The Richmond Society to come up with more appropriate wording.

"The new plaque mentions the name by which the statue is still popularly known, but less prominently."

The Society said the Council is also looking to reinstate the water supply to the fountain to take it back to its original glory.

Chairman of the Society, Barry May told Nub News: "Someone complained about inclusion of the vernacular nickname Bulbous Betty, which was deemed derogatory, on the original plaque. Also, the sculptor's name was incorrect, apparently.

"So we offered fresh text to the Council which they reproduced on the new plaque."

The Terrace Gardens with their majestic gardens and view all the way to Windsor and the City of London are actually built on the site what was a brickworks until 1887.

Shortly after the brickworks was demolished, a number of well-to-do houses were built on the grounds of the park. Although these were subsequently demolished, the gardens are still home to an ice house, a Victorian greenhouse, a statue of a river god and more formal gardens and flower beds.

The crown jewel of the garden is said to be the deceptively deep pool at the centre of formal shrubberies.

During WWII, the original iron railings and fountain were removed and melted down for military use. Following the war, it was decided that the original fountain needed a replacement.

And it was then that the sculptor Alan Howe was commissioned to create his idea of Aphrodite.