40 CONTEXT 189 : SEPTEMBER 2026 Banksy’s ‘Well Hung Lover’ (2006) in Bristol, on the side of a Grade II listed former sexual health clinic, quickly drew national attention. Initially the council faced complaints, but a public poll showed overwhelming support. Councillors agreed that it should remain, framing it as part of Bristol’s identity as a street-art city. Historic England did not endorse the work but chose not to intervene, leaving the outcome to local politics. Cheltenham’s 2014 Banksy is known as ‘GCHQ Spies’. Painted on the flank of a Grade II listed terrace, it gained retrospective listed building consent. While causing ‘less than substantial harm’, that was judged to be outweighed by public benefit and cultural resonance. Not all successes involve Banksy. In Cheltenham, a racing-heritage mural from the Paint Festival was intended to deter graffiti and had business backing. Despite objections from Cheltenham Civic Society, retrospective consent was granted in 2024, with councillors calling it a ‘high-quality art installation.’ In Preston, the ‘Mother’ mural (2023) by Shawn Sharpe was painted on existing cream render on the gable of a Grade II building that faces Grade II* Preston Minster. The mural, inspired by Preston’s crest (the lamb of St Wilfrid and the A proposed and refused mural design for a Grade II listed building in Brighton The ‘Dancer and Horse’ mural in Cheltenham by ‘Margot’ (Photo: Hannah Judah)
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