More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Banksy has finally broken his silence over his missing Dover mural.
The anonymous street artist posted a new image illustrating how he had intended to adapt the artwork on the day the UK finally left the EU.
But he says he now doesn't need to bother after the image was mysteriously white-washed last month.
The computer-generated image, posted on Instagram today alongside a screen shot of KentOnline's story about the missing mural, shows the EU flag lying crumpled in a heap on the floor.
It appeared alongside a message saying: "Oh. I had planned that on the day of Brexit I was going to change the piece in Dover to this. But is seems they've painted over it.
"Never mind. I guess a big white flag says it just as well."
The mural, previously valued at £1 million, disappeared from the wall of the former Castle Amusements building in Townwall Street it had adorned for the last two years.
It had greeted traffic travelling towards the Port of Dover and had become a popular tourist attraction.
Fears for the future of the artwork had been growing as the paintwork appeared to deteriorate. Attempts to find out what happened to the mural have - maybe ironically - hit a brick wall.
Paul Buckthorpe, whose company erected the scaffolding for it to be painted over, told KentOnline he did not know what had happened to the mural.
He said: "I haven't got a clue what happened.
"I put the scaffolding up for general repairs to the wall - that's all I knew."
Its disappearance sparked a furious outcry.
Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke blamed Historic England for failing to protect the mural.
He said members of the organisation should 'hang their heads in shame' over its loss, adding: "I am very disappointed by the disappearance of the Dover Banksy - a culturally iconic statement on our times.
"We asked Historic England to use their powers to protect this work but they refused. This is the result."
He later added Historic England previously listed the Abbey Road crossing and a 1960s Bournemouth bus depot described as “hideous”.
The MP said: "If they are going to list things like that, they should have listed a culturally important piece of art like our Banksy."
Dover District Council says it was not involved in the disappearance and the Godden family, who own the Townwall Street property, have not commented.
