Banksy: Season's Greetings mural to leave Wales for England

A row has broken out after claims a Banksy, which appeared on a steelworker's garage one night, is leaving Wales for England.

The artwork sparked a frenzy when it was found in Port Talbot in 2018.

Neath Port Talbot council said Season's Greetings would leave the town to be part of exhibition in Peterborough.

Owner John Brandler said the decision to remove it from Port Talbot had been "forced upon him" by the council.

The image had appeared on two sides of the garage depicting a child enjoying snow falling - the other side revealed it was from a fire emitting ash.

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However, with about 20,000 people said to have visited it in one month alone, there were concerns about its safety.

It was bought for a six-figure sum by art dealer Mr Brandler, and the Welsh government paid to move it to an unoccupied shop in Ty'r Orsaf to be viewed by the public.

However, on Thursday, Neath Port Talbot council confirmed the arrangement to keep it at the Pobl shop ends on 14 January and it would leave the town.

"We understand that Season's Greetings is to feature in a street art exhibition in Peterborough due to start next month," a council spokesman said.

The authority thanked the owner for loaning it to them for public view.

"The future of Seasons Greetings is now, of course, a matter for Mr Brandler," it said.

Owner John Brandler says the council initiated the removal of the Banksy

Mr Brandler said he had been told by the council he had no choice but to remove it before 14 January because "there was such a demand for commercial space" in the area.

He said the council later asked what terms he would leave it in the town, to which he has "no objection".

However, he said he had not heard from the council again.

"Whether the Banksy leaves Wales and goes to Peterborough, or several other locations, who have expressed the desire to have it, the decision has been forced upon me by the council," he claimed.

"I didn't instigate the removal of the Banksy, the council did and I wish them the best success for the town in the commercial space."

"I just want to protect it, and it is here for everybody," says garage owner Ian Lewis

When he sold the artwork, steelworker Mr Lewis, 55, who found the mural on his garage one week before Christmas, said the whole experience had been "life changing".

He said: "I think the town has fallen in love with it, I think everybody loves it and it would have been a shame for it to move from the area."

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