The seemingly endless hand-wringing over what to do with Banksy murals took a new twist recently. Sutton Council organised a public vote on whether to share or to shaft the punk-themed stencil on Beddington Farm Road. Ninety-three percent of respondants wanted to keep the mural (although it should be noted, only 250 people voted, despite our appeal). But the nays to the right took the law, and the spray can, into their own hands and defaced the Banksy original as the vote was taking place. Sutton Council now have to decide whether to use taxpayer money to restore the image, perhaps coating it in perspex as councils elsewhere have done. We can't be arsed to weigh in on this never-ending debate, but are heartened to find something interesting happening in Sutton, a borough for which not even Diamond Geezer nor TimeOut can work up enthusiasm. Image by unusualimage, used under creative commons license.
