Banksy: £100k a year to keep mural in Port Talbot home disputed

Concerns were raised about the mural's security after thousands flocked to view the anonymous artist's work

A row over a Banksy set to be removed from its Welsh home has deepened amid claims it would cost a council over £100,000 a year for it to stay.

Season's Greetings is due to leave Port Talbot and be put on display in Peterborough, England.

Neath Port Talbot council said it was told it would have to pay to loan the Banksy off the owner if it was to stay.

But owner John Brandler said he wanted to set up a street-art museum in Port Talbot, featuring the mural.

He told BBC Wales "it wasn't wanted because Banksy wasn't Welsh".

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Season's Greetings sparked a frenzy when it was found on a steel worker's garage in Port Talbot in 2018.

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.

But, 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 Pobl's Ty'r Orsaf to be viewed by the public.

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

The council said the artwork was set to be moved to Peterborough for a street art exhibition, starting next month.

Owner John Brandler previously said the council initiated the removal of the Banksy

Mr Brandler told BBC Wales the decision to remove the work from Port Talbot had been "forced upon him" by the council.

He said he was happy to leave it in Port Talbot because it was generating "money in the town".

"We were getting 2,000 visitors per day... that's why it makes sense to create a street art museum in Port Talbot," he said.

"It's the local businesses that are going to suffer now."

However council leader Ted Latham said it was now time to "set the record straight".

"Discussions were held on future arrangements and the potential for the work to remain in Port Talbot," he said.

"But the council was informed it would have to meet the costs of its removal and installation into the new venue, to continue to cover the insurance and to pay a fee in the region of £100,000 per year for the loan of the work."

Without the insurance cover its relocation, the cost of Season's Greetings would be about £50,000, he said.

However Mr Brandler disputed this, and said he had received a quote at £3,000 to remove the graffiti.

"This was a pot of gold opportunity for Port Talbot, but it wasn't wanted because Banksy wasn't Welsh," he added.