More than 600 people have given their support for a mural to stay on the side of a shop in Richmond Market Place amid calls from civic leaders for it to be painted over.
The owners of York House Antiques are seeking retrospective planning permission for the artwork painted by local artist Jackie Stubbs.
An application for a change to a listed building has been submitted to Richmondshire District Council.
Documents submitted with the application state: “The mural does not affect the main front façade of the building and is instead situated on the gable end.
“Whilst this can be easily viewed by pedestrians and road users as they pass, it does not detract from the building’s heritage.
“The gable end has no main features and those features considered as architecturally and historically important are positioned all on the front façade.
“The need to help promote shoppers to the high street and support independent local stores is ever present and this mural has a warm tone of voice in line with the style of retailer.”
But Richmond and District Civic Society said they “felt strongly” that the mural should not have been painted without permission.
The organisation, which is a official consultee, said in its response to the district council: “To grant it retrospective permission at this stage would be to create an alarming precedent for other property owners to produce quasi-public art that could deface the town.
“Furthermore, the applicant claims that the mural is a commercial advert but there is no evidence of this: the mural is simply pictorial and makes no reference to the shop.”
The society added: “As to the subject matter of the mural, we feel that it has some relevance to the Dales villages but virtually no relevance to the town of Richmond, its history or its architecture.
“Since it is located in a prominent position, at the entrance to the Market Place, this issue of relevance is an important consideration.”
The group is recommending that retrospective permission is not granted and that the gable wall is painted “an appropriate product and acceptable heritage colour”.
However, more than 600 people have signed a petition urging for the artwork to remain, while 22 people have also contacted the district council to say they support the application.
The petition was launched by local resident Aaron Auton.
Urging people to support the petition, artist Jackie said: “I was honoured and delighted when Christine (York House Antiques owner) asked me to do a mural.
“I thoroughly enjoyed doing the piece although it was hell of a challenge with my condition to get up to that height, but the amazing comments, people stopping me in the street to thank me for cheering up their day when ever they see it has made me super proud.”
The application is set to be decided by members of Richmondshire District Council.
Not date has yet been given for when the decision will be made.
To view the planning application click here.
To view the petition click here. [kofi]
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For god sake leave it its lovely sorry but some people need to get a life can’t do nothing around here!!! Have to ruin everything .
Totally agree. Ref “we feel that it has some relevance to the Dales villages but virtually no relevance to the town of Richmond” To say sheep have nothing to do With Richmond is ridiculous. As well as being mean spiritied.