What could Ozzy Osbourne’s Birmingham legacy be?

Ozzy Osbourne may have swapped Birmingham’s streets for the bright lights of global fame but it felt like to fans that the Prince of Darkness never strayed from his roots.

Thousands of fans gathered on Wednesday in Birmingham to pay their respects at his funeral procession as his coffin took a final journey through the city.

As one of the city’s most iconic musicians, his legacy is both a badge of honour and a unique opportunity for Birmingham to remember one of their favourite sons – so how could Birmingham remember Ozzy?

Liverpool John Lennon Airport, George Best Belfast City Airport, Louis Armstrong Airport and even JFK in New York, we are not short of airports being named after famous people.

Should Birmingham follow suit?

Well, more than 58,000 people have backed a petition calling for Birmingham Airport to be renamed as the “Ozzy Osbourne International”.

Dan Hudson, who started it, said the change would be a fitting tribute to his extraordinary career and contributions to the arts.

“If you look at other places around the world that have musical scenes that have started in those cities, like Nashville or Memphis or LA or Detroit or Chicago, they don’t shut up about the fact that those musical scenes have sprung out of those areas,” he told the BBC.

“We don’t do that here in Birmingham, and I don’t know why that is and I think that needs to change – a great way of doing that will be to rename the airport.”

While not ruled out by managers at the airport, the idea has not so far had a thumbs up from them – a spokesperson saying instead that the rock legend was “an inspiration to so many in our region”.

“In coming weeks, we will be looking at how we can celebrate his heritage and contribution to the region via terminal artwork, creating a greater sense of place for Birmingham and his fans,” they added.

The city has statues in honour of those born in Birmingham including comedian Tony Hancock and Industrial Revolution titans like Matthew Boulton – why not one for Ozzy?

Known to the world as the frontman of Black Sabbath, he was always the boy from Aston and super fan Jack Ryland-Smith, from Kidderminster, thinks it is only right to honour him in the area where he grew up.

“We don’t have to remember him in just one way but it would be fitting to have something in Aston, it has to be done.

“It would be iconic, a tourist attraction that would put Birmingham on the map.

“A plaque, above the gate or a statue outside Aston Villa football club.”

A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council referred the BBC to a statement their leader John Cotton made in July.

“Birmingham is a better place for the sheer brilliance he brought to the city and now we honour his life and legacy,” he said at the time.

Back to the beginning?

Since Ozzy’s death, the calls to preserve the pub in Birmingham where Black Sabbath played their first gig and make it a heritage site have grown louder.

The pub was built in 1881 and shut in 2014, after it was bought by a Japanese development company.

Culture journalist Kirsty Bosley says it is time to reconsider the future of the iconic building.

“I feel really strongly that the best way that we can honour the memory of Ozzy Osbourne and what he did in the city, would be to get hold of the crown for this city again,” she said.

“To turn it into a place where people can visit all year round, regardless of some big gig or someone’s death, it would be a place where we go to remember Birmingham’s influence on global music.”

While Save Station Street campaigners said The Crown should be the site of “[un]holy pilgrimage”.

“The Crown especially should be the site of (un)holy pilgrimage for every Sabbath fan, metal head, ska revivalist, punk and folkie globally – showcasing the best Brum music, beer, food and creativity. “

Arts company Birmingham Open Media had plans to restore the pub, with the backing of Birmingham City Council – but it fell apart last year after the council retracted its offer of a loan.