On Monday 11th May, Bristol City Council Clean and Green Team painted out “Hope”, a collaboration between Cheo and 3-Dom, which was to be found on the Corner of Hillgrove Street and Stokes Croft. 
This was the result of the Council’s splendid endeavours to improve the area…
This was a piece that was donated by the artists to the community. PRSC had arranged all necessary pemissions with the Landlord. The piece was therefore completely legal. So, ironically, it would appear that the Council have themselves committed an act of criminal damage.
In response to this, PRSC re-painted the site in the following fashion…
To voice your protest,please e-mail email hidden; JavaScript is required
Jan is the Chief Executive of BCC. We are fed up of fighting a running battle with the City’s Anti- Graffiti team, and would most cordially invite her to the Croft to discuss how we might all work toward the same end.
An interview with Chris Chalkley for Original FM on this subject can be heard on this blog post.
Saw this b.s. on Bristol Graf blog, I have duly sent my comments to the ormondroyd.
Massive shame! I’ve e-mailed Ms Ormerod and asked why it happened.
Did people get a reply from Ormerod if they e-mailed? Apparently…
“I have asked relevant officers to look into this matter and report back to me as soon as possible and I will let you know the outcome.
Thanks once again,
Regards
Jan Ormondroyd
Chief Executive”
I got the exact generic response.
I have replied and eagerly await the next instalment of cynical, cut and paste, one size fits all, emails to voters.
I figured as much. I was going to e-mail without ‘an issue’ and see if i still got the standard reply >:(
have just sent an email with your said “response’s” cut and pasted into my email of complaint, perhaps this will jog them out of their stupor. But probably not.
Totally support you on this one – how can a black boarded up shop be better than a great mural? I e-mailed Jan to protest.
Hi Chris,
I am appalled that the Council would have done that. Are you sure it was them? On what basis would they have done it?
Mark
PS The teeth were slightly frightening, and personally I would prefer that art that might frighten children was avoided…
Won’t sombody please think of the children!
Just received another identikit reply, saying they’re issuing a public statement. I’ve asked to where, but I’m guessing the Evening Post.
“Thank you for contacting me regarding the mural in Stokes Croft. I have looked into the matter thoroughly and have issued the following official statement to publicly apologise for the mistake. I would like to thank you again for taking the time to contact me and I would like to assure you that Bristol City Council takes this matter very seriously and are committed to putting it right.
Yours sincerely
Jan Ormondroyd
Chief Executive
———
Statement from Bristol City Council
We would like to apologise for the removal of a mural in Stokes Croft by our graffiti clean up team.
The mural was removed following a complaint to the council from a member of the public. However, as this mural was on a privately owned building, the council should have made contact with the owner first to seek permission before removing it and this was unfortunately not done.
We will be speaking to the owner to explain the situation and to discuss how the error can be put right.”
Again, I received that EXACT reply despite asking specific questions.
I’ve replied again, I guess nothing will arrive till Monday at the earliest.
Yea i got that one too, I am unsure how they intent to “put it right” do they also have a non anti graffiti team ready and waiting with amazing artistic ability and a good memory.
I have just sent another E mail entitled “Dear automated response team, could you please send and automated reply to me immediately….” I cant wait for the reply.
I notice now the boards have been painted white and the complaint text is black. So, did the BCC have another shot at cleaning this up?
maybe the artists (including SOF crew whose work, i understand, also drew complaints from residents) should show a bit more responsibility, since they have managed to somehow get the run of the place without too many obstacles. they don’t need their subject matter to be pre-approved by residents, don’t need complicated and drawn-out planning permission and don’t face any personal risk (like arrest.) come on guys, you are in an unprecedented position! don’t take it for granted. even Caravaggio could have his work rejected before the public got to see it, Diego Rivera too.
before you paint monsters next time, have a look at the history of animated films or children’s books, to get ideas on more appropriate ways of going about it. also bear in mind that at night the work will be lit by nothing more than streetlights.
if you are not up to the job please go and join deviantart or 4chan with all the other latent adolescents and resolve your ‘issues’ amongst your peers.
I agree with AC. Personally I didn’t much like the original piece, and neither have I liked quite a few of the other recent pieces. Especially the Armada Place mural which I agree is way too ‘dark’. People are well aware of the problems of the world, they don’t need murals to remind them, could we just have a few more bright and cheery pieces that make the area feel better? Your follow up ‘council vandalism’ piece is pretty dull and ugly to read as well – you’ve made your point, can you put something else there now. Bristol City Council made a mistake with one mural – its hardly frontpage news is it?
Got a decent set of shots and made up a triptych of this work before it was “cleaned”.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/demosthien/3534825604/
Are you for real AC? Since when do residents get to pre approve stuff? What about the mindnumbing drivel that is shoved in our faces everyday on advertising hoardings? I’d far rather my kids were exposed to thoughtful and challenging graffiti than the sexist, tits out for the lads type shit that surrounds us. In fact, I’d rather my kids saw this sort of thought provoking stuff than the anodyne, vile (and a bit scary) disneyshite. Oh and Caravaggio and Diego Rivera expected to be paid for their stuff, public art is free for us all. Off now to send a probably pointless email to ormondroyd.
Just received another e-mail from the council…
“The council firmly rejects any allegations that it has an aggressive stance against street art. Indeed, there are many examples across the city where it has taken a positive position on the issue and has encouraged such art in prime locations where the work enhances a local area. Examples include street art and murals commissioned by the council around subways and at some railway stations over the years and the widely publicised case of the ‘Banksy’ on the side of a council-owned commercial building on Park Street, allowed to remain after a public consultation. Indeed, the council graffiti policy clearly states (section 6a) that the council will: Support applications from residents and residents’ groups who would like to manage graffiti by displaying a mural in a specific location through a process of consultation and gaining permission from property owners for artwork.
We have fully accepted that the street art in this case was prematurely removed and have openly apologised for that error, which was due to a misunderstanding by our contractors following a genuine concern raised by a member of the public.
However, the owner’s agent now advises us that the building is shortly due to be re-let and, with the owners permission, we have decided that the time is right to remove the graffiti that has been on the building since the deletion of the street art. Our investigations have revealed that the building in question is grade 2 listed and therefore no artwork or graffiti should have been allowed on it without listed buildings consent, although this does not excuse our removal of the original street art in error without following a proper process.
The Chief Executive’s email address is already in the public domain however it is intended that this email will resolve any outstanding issues you may have.”
“a member of the public”? was it one member of the public led you to act in this way?