Council criticised over Banksy graffiti

A council has been criticised for allowing a piece of graffiti by guerilla artist Banksy to stay on display.

The work shows a couple looking out of a window, while another man hangs naked from the window ledge below.

The suited husband is furiously scanning the horizon, while his wife, clad only in her underwear, stares nervously from behind his shoulder.

The work decorates the side of a Bristol City Council-owned building in Park Street in the city centre.

The stencilled painting was saved by voters in an online poll who came out 97% in favour of the image remaining.

A Bristol City Council spokeswoman said: "Nearly 500 people logged into the site during the discussion period, and of those choosing to respond, 97% supported the work.

"Common themes highlighted the fact that Banksy is a Bristolian, and that the city should be celebrating and embracing his internationally renowned work."

The artist has achieved notoriety through stunts including painting a mural on the West Bank barrier in Israel and planting a hoax painting of a caveman with a shopping trolley in the British Museum.

Liberal Democrat councillor Gary Hopkins, Executive Member for Sustainable Environment and Neighbourhoods, said: "It is fantastic that Bristol's residents have felt so strongly about it as a work of art that they have been encouraged to register their views.

"I have seen it bring a smile to people's faces as they stop to appraise it, so I personally am pleased that Bristol wants it to stay. As owners of the building, the council are very unlikely to remove it now unless a tenant asks us to do so."

The council stressed the decision to keep the Banksy painting should not be seen as encouraging other graffiti artists.

Cllr Hopkins said: "The council works hard to combat ugly graffiti, tags and associated anti-social behaviour, and will prosecute those responsible.

"I stress that the decision to keep this Banksy image is not a green light for more graffiti in the city."

But the move was branded "ludicrous" by Conservative councillor Spud Murphy, who said Banksy should be prosecuted.

Cllr Murphy said: "It's absolutely stupid. They will have them all over the city now.

"They have given a licence for everybody in Bristol to do it. These graffiti artists all think they are better than each other and try to out-do each other."

He said the council spends thousands of pounds cleaning up graffiti and Banksy should be fined as an example to others.

Cllr Murphy said: "They know who did it - normally they say if they can find out who did it they would be prosecuted. Well, in this case, they know it was this Banksy so he should be fined.

"It's ludicrous. The council have gone mad."

A spokeswoman for Banksy, who keeps his real identity a secret, said he did not wish to comment on the row.

Copyright Press Association 2006