Banksy works cost public almost £150,000
Freedom of Information disclosures show the largest bill tops £85,000 for a Royal Courts of Justice mural, with cleanup and security costs still rising.
- Banksy's three unsolicited works in London have cost public bodies nearly £150,000 in cleaning and security expenses, with costs expected to rise as removal efforts continue.
- The MoJ spent over £85,000 on the Royal Courts mural, Westminster City Council paid almost £60,000 for a Waterloo Place statue, and the City spent £2,200 removing a sentry box.
- Contractors are using "laser technology" to remove the Royal Courts mural from the Grade II-listed building, though officials warn the affected stonework may require replacement if cleaning efforts prove unsuccessful.
- A Listed Building Consent application has been submitted to install railings at the Royal Courts, signaling a shift from reactive cleaning to permanent architectural prevention measures.
- Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy called the costs "outrageous," while art critic Estelle Lovatt defended Banksy's work as accessible public art, fueling debate over whether the installations constitute vandalism or cultural value.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Banksy's work of art became a costly nuisance for the Royal Courts of Justice, with another work by the street artist coming to the museum.
The UK Has Spent Nearly £150,000 In Public Funds On Removal And Security for Banksy Artworks
UK Taxpayers have shelled out nearly £150,000 ($202,700) to remove or secure works by anonymous British street artist Banksy. These costs were revealed through Freedom of Information requests made by the BBC. Three artworks make up the lion’s share of the cost. The largest expense stems from a mural that appeared on a Grade II-listed […]
Three of the most recent works that British street artist Banksy has done in London have cost UK taxpayers around £150,000 (just over €175,000) in clean-up and security operations, as revealed by BBC this Sunday.The biggest individual cost corresponds to a mural painted at the Royal Courts of Justice in London in September 2025, where Banksy portrayed a judge lifting the deck on a protester carrying a banner, and whose retreat and safety work co…
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