CCTV equipment has been installed opposite the memorial, which is about 20 feet high and is located in the Civic neighborhood of Grantham between two existing statues of Sir Isaac Newton and Frederick Tolimash, to deter threats of vandalism.

More than 13,000 people expressed interest in the Facebook event proposing an “egg-throwing contest” at the unveiling ceremony when the board first approved it in 2020.

A spokesman for South Kestifen County Council said the memorial’s appeal – which raised £300,000 for the statue through donations from residents and other individuals – would proceed with a formal ceremony at a later date.

Cllr Kelham Cooke, Chairman of the Board of Governors, insisted that “we must never hide from our history” and said the monument represented “a fitting tribute to a truly unique political figure”.

“Margaret Thatcher will always be an important part of Grantham’s legacy. She and her family have close ties to Grantham. She was born, raised and went to school here,” Claire Cook said in a statement.

“It is therefore fitting that her hometown celebrates an anniversary and that the debate surrounding her legacy is taking place here in Grantham.”

He added that the memorial “will be a point of discussion for future generations.”

Westminster Council refused to erect a statue of Baroness Thatcher in 2018, citing a report suggesting she could have been a high-profile target of “potential vandalism and civil disorder”.