Writing’s on the wall for bid to sell Banksy mural

A "six-figure" deal that would keep a Banksy mural which targets the issue of government surveillance at its current site is nearly complete, an art dealer has claimed.

Robin Barton, from London art gallery Bankrobber, said he was approached by the owner of the Grade II listed building, on which the Spy Booth artwork is painted, after he was “shocked at the level of vitriol” following reports that the piece may be sold and removed.

The creation shows three 1950s-style agents, wearing brown trench coats and trilby hats, using devices to tap into conversations at a telephone box.

It appeared overnight on a street in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, in April, just a few miles from GCHQ, where the UK’s surveillance network is based.

Scaffolding erected around the artwork on Wednesday was initially believed to be for maintenance work.

But John Joyce, of Q Scaffolding, later claimed his boss, street art collector Sky Grimes, had bought the piece from the property’s owner and planned to remove it.

Mr Barton said that the building owner had since contacted him, claiming he had received death threats amid widespread local opposition to the reported removal plans.

The art dealer said that a six-figure deal was now close to completion with the “local business community” that would ensure that the work remained at the site.

Banksy officially confirmed the piece was his work on a link titled Q&A on his website.

Local residents and business groups in Cheltenham say the removal of the artwork would be a “huge loss” to the spa town.