Banksy pub ‘mural’ adds interest to sale

It’s not uncommon for closed pubs to become a magnet for graffiti and rats but it’s unusual for them to be something that the sellers draw attention to.

The former Whitehouse pub, in Liverpool’s city centre, has been sold at auction for £114,000. Its distinctive feature is a 20 foot high rat, which is believed to be the work of Banksy. The legendary graffiti artist recently sold 'Space Girl & Bird' at auction for £288,000 and saw his Bristol based exhibition attract 300,000 visitors.

The auction attracted interest from art lovers, although the original sale price was based on the city centre location rather than artwork. The Whitehouses’s new owners reportedly have plans to convert the site into flats. The venue is a Grade II listed building, meaning that any change to its exterior would need planning consent.

Local people, interviewed by the BBC, expressed a liking for Banky’s rat but expressed less visual appreciation for the ‘scruffy’ appearance of the Whitehouse in its current state. Banksy was unavailable for comment.

19 February 2010