[Daniel Silk]

www.londoninformer.co.uk/london-news/london-local-news/2008/10/17/web-exclusive-west-end-bansky-bites-the-dust-113489-22059963/

Web Exclusive: West End Bansky bites the dust
Oct 17 2008 By Aidan Jones

Even a blank wall isn't safe from the aesthetes at Westminster Council it seems after the Town Hall ordered a seven metre Banksy mural to be removed.
The Newman Street daubing, which shows a child on a step ladder painting the words 'One Nation Under CCTV', finally fell under the all-seeing eye of council planners who last night decided it was an eyesore.
Cllr Robert Davis, deputy leader of the council and chairman of the planning sub committee, said: “I take the view that this is graffiti and if you condone this then what is the difference between this and all the other graffiti you see scrawled across the city? If you condone this then you condone graffiti all over London."
Banksy fans will be dismayed by the decision as may the owners of the grey wall, who could be in for a windfall if they can preserve the mural. A shop owner in Portobello Road sold a smaller piece by the guerilla artists for more than £200,000.
The council is now working to establish who owns and is responsible for the wall and will then ask the owner to remove it. It says there are ways to remove these kinds of murals without destroying them so they can the be displayed in an appropriate location.

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4tEArH5-XeM

[mammal2]

It was meant to be there for a reason. To remove it would be against the point. Everyone walking down Oxford Street sees this. Its massive and I cant see it being removed. I say let it go. It had a good life in that location.....There will always be others.

[fuzzed]

I like the way it says "guerilla artists". Yeah big shame, really liked seeing this piece close up.

[jusdeep]

Such a shame if this one has to go. God knows how Banksy got away with doing this in it's location - right by a security hut with several guards sat (obviously not doing their jobs properly). Love the irony.

[funksoulbother]

Oct 18, 2008 9:25:54 GMT 1 jusdeep said:

Such a shame if this one has to go. God knows how Banksy got away with doing this in it's location - right by a security hut with several guards sat (obviously not doing their jobs properly). Love the irony.

he got away with it because he asked permission of the owner of the building, of course it's another matter as to whether they asked planning permission of it (just as you need for having a billboard erected etc) ... anyway no foul this is the nature of graf...it should come to an end...I'd rather see it buffed than removed that's totally against what this piece and all street art is about...let it go and remember it in pictures

[G-Man]

I love this peice by Banksy

It is a great location, in that you can see it from Oxford Street, I'll be sorry to see it go but...

Let it go, all street art is temporary that's what makes it so good

Too big to remove for a very good reason me thinks......

I reckon that we will never see small street peices from Banksy ever again now so that they cannot be sold on afterwards

[Andy'77]

Now on BBC site:
HERE.

[dmandpenfold]

yep and the Daily Mail claims they own it

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080193/Writing-wall-Banksys-west-end-mural-council-demands-painted-over.html

[Ruggs]

I'm currently listening to John Gaunt's chat show on TalkSport. One of today's topics is slagging off Banksy and all his street art contemporaries. Sometimes he really does talk a load of old sh@te!

[Macdeee]

The Royal Mail claim to own it I think.

[dmandpenfold]

Oct 24, 2008 10:48:03 GMT 1 Macdeee said:

The Royal Mail claim to own it I think.

ah true miss-read that thanks

[Ruggs]

It seems there's a dispute between two sides who both say they have rights to the piece. One side wants it to stay and the other wants to remove/paint over it. It would appear that once these two sides have thrashed out a decision on who does actually own it will then determine what happens to it.

[reg]

Don't panic:

If Westminster Council send notice to remove the piece to The Royal Mail through the Royal Mail's postal "service" it will probably never reach its destination.......

[woodsman]

Oct 24, 2008 10:30:05 GMT 1 Ruggs said:

I'm currently listening to John Gaunt's chat show on TalkSport. One of today's topics is slagging off Banksy and all his street art contemporaries. Sometimes he really does talk a load of old sh@te!

Sometimes? The bloke is cunt of the highest order!!

also liked this from the Informer piece "It says there are ways to remove these kinds of murals without destroying them so they can the be displayed in an appropriate location." WTF! this is graffiti, where is more appropriate for it than a great big fucking wall? What he should have said is somewhere we cant see it

[Daniel Silk]

Who owns the wall?

Its a tricky one this by the looks of it the site Royal Mail own would have been a street of houses all joined together and on to the other building. Those where then demolished to make way for the new Royal Mail buildings, leaving the ruff brickwork on the end of the building in question. I would imagine the owners of that building would have said at the time that they would not pay for the wall to be strengthened as it was the other party who removed the adjoining buildings Meaning the Royal Mail would have built that wall (or whoever owned the land at that time) to make good the mess that would have been left after demolition.

Im just guessing, buts thats the sort of thing that would have happened.

[Daniel Silk]

www.lgcplus.com/News/2008/10/westminster_bid_to_remove_banksy_art_stalled.html

Westminster bid to remove Banksy art stalled

Published: 24 October 2008 12:07 Author: Simon Ellery More by this Author Last Updated: 24 October 2008 12:07

Westminster wants to remove Banksy graffiti
A bid by Westminster City Council to remove a famous Banksy mural has run into trouble as it is unclear who owns the wall it is on.

The seven-metre-high piece of graffiti art, which is within Westminster's boundaries, says "ONE NATION UNDER CCTV" and pictures a child underneath holding a spray can beside a CCTV camera.

The council's planning sub-committee decided earlier this month (October 16) that the mural should be removed.

At the meeting deputy leader Cllr Robert David (Con) said: "I take the view that this is graffiti and if you condone this then what is the difference between this and all the other graffiti you see scrawled across the city. If you condone this then you condone graffiti all over London."

But the council has issued a statement that it does not own the wall and that the current occupier and Royal Mail, which has a depot next door, are establishing who is responsible for it.

"Westminster council will then write to the person responsible and ask for the graffiti to be removed. Westminster council will not be removing the graffiti, that will be for the person who owns the wall. If they want to remove it and sell it, they can. If they just want to paint over it, they can."

[daz205]

what if they want to keep it can they appeal?

[simongoff]

Surely the appropriate location is exactly where it is??

[Jimmy J]

From ITV London Tonight


www.itvlocal.com/london/news/?void=250036


Its after the advert.

[rosstierney]

"well erm, it's a bit graffiti i think a little bit"

haha

[Daniel Silk]

I have a feeling the Banksy CCTV piece will be saved ;D What do you think? Please place your vote ;D

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4tEArH5-XeM

[wave]

Graffiti yes but a fucking piece of art history.
Some muppet from the council with absolutely no idea.

[mcster]

Banksy must be laughing his head off. Whether the piece is saved or not, it's all over the news again and lots of people that may not ever the actual piece have seen it on-screen and got the message. I hope the arguement is drawn out and gives it more exposure, whatever the outcome.

[Fragile]

walked by the piece today. Still intact and looking great :-)

[fuzzed]

Yeah had a look at it a couple of weeks ago. Keep it up!