Liverpool’s Banksy rat to lose its tail as work starts on city centre pub
LIVERPOOL is set to lose at least half its only Banksy mural to save the building it is painted on. The new owners of the old Whitehouse Pub in Liverpool city centre today vowed to preserve as much of the 30ft gun-toting rat on the front of the building as they can.
Waterloo-based Ascot Property Group bought the derelict pub in November. The firm is now beginning a £200,000 refurbishment of the Berry Street venue and hope it can be turned into a stylish coffee bar run by a national chain. Infamous graffiti artist Banksy painted the rat during the 2004 Liverpool Biennial. It was initially condemned and covered by hoardings. But since then it has become a much-loved city landmark. The rat’s head is painted directly on to the first floor wall of the Whitehouse. His bottom half covers wooden boards that are sitting in one of the windows. Because new glass will be fitted to the windows the bottom half will have to be removed.
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