Petition over painted-over mural goes to council

The mural was removed from Tilgate Park in April

A petition calling for a war mural to be reinstated after it was painted over is to go before the local council.

The artwork in Tilgate Park in Crawley, West Sussex, was created in 2018 to commemorate 100 years since the end of World War One.

Crawley Borough Council said in April the mural was "realistically beyond proper restoration", and a report going before the cabinet this week says it was not in the "right place".

Colin Ticknor, its creator, said: "It became a community focal point and the speed and haste it was removed was appalling."

He added: "This was a poignant place for people gather and remember."

The council posted images of the mural being painted in 2018 but now says it did not give permission for the artwork

The petition, which has 333 signatures, goes before the council's cabinet on Wednesday and calls for £10,000 to be paid to a local armed forces charity "as an apology".

In 2018, when the mural was being painted, the council wrote on social media: "It's on view for all to see".

In April a spokesperson for the council said it never gave permission for the mural so the wall has been "put back to its original state".

The mural became a focal point for veterans, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Local veterans were behind the petition.

As well as calling on the council to repaint it, petitioners want a "full and honest explanation" about why it was wiped out in the first place.

A report to cabinet said the walled garden in the council-owned park was "not the right place" for a mural.

It added: "The council is speaking with veterans' groups about what has happened and is working with them on this issue.

"While we are not considering reinstating the mural, we are speaking with veterans about whether there are particular aspects which they consider are missing from the other memorials within the town or another aspect that should be memorialised in another way.

"These conversations are ongoing."

The council said it would comment further after Wednesday's meeting.

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