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16 Apr 2014

New Banksy piece becomes paid attraction hours after being discovered

A new graffito by renowned street artist Banksy has been removed within hours of being found and put on paid display by an ailing community centre.

The artwork, which shows a couple embracing while checking their mobile phones, was confirmed to be a Banksy after the artist posted a photo of it on his website. The piece was then found a few hours later on Clement Street in Bristol.

Shortly after, it was removed by the nearby Broad Plain Boys’ Club to be put on display inside the centre with entrants charged a viewing fee.

The oldest boys’ club in the city is under threat of closure, with the registered charity needing to raise £120,000 by the end of the year or face closure. Dennis Stinchcombe, who runs the club, made an appeal in February for the community to help the club in its time of need.

Gordon Powell, a youth worker from the club, told the BBC he believes the work was done to aid the struggling club.

"There's a massive wall he [Banksy] could have done it on but he didn't,” said Powell. “So we think he did it to help us raise the money."

A sign was put up in place of the work stating: “The new Banksy piece is being held in our club to prevent any vandalism or damage being done. You are free to come and view but a small donation will be asked of you.”

Banksy works have received much attention from members of the public, with Cheltenham Borough Council saying it would help to protect a recent work that appeared on the side of a house in the town.

Temporary or overnight pop-up attractions drawing in big crowds for a limited time have proved popular in recent times. One example, also in Bristol, includes a pop-up water slide to be installed for a day on 4 May.

UPDATE:

Since the art work has been removed the city's mayor George Ferguson has asked for the work to be put back on the city council-owned wall where a smaller copy of the original has been pinned up in its place.

Dennis Stinchcombe has said the original work will be available for people to view inside the club, in return for a donation, until Thursday where the piece will then be taken to a secure location over the bank holiday weekend with a view to selling the art work to raise funds for the in danger club.