Property News · July 27, 2018

Let’s move to Weston-super-Mare: it's building on the Banksy Effect


Banksy’s snarky Dismaland gave the fading seaside town a boost – now all it needs is a big ideaWhat’s going for it? Plans are afoot to magic Weston-super-Mare into Bristol’s Margate. In May, the chief executive of the Arts Council popped by to give the town the princely sum of £50,000, no less, to “build on” the so-called Banksy Effect. I’m no art critic, but I could have sworn there was some irony involved when Mr Banksy brought his Dismaland theme park to Weston in 2015. Little did he know he was actually the local council regeneration strategy: 150,000 people visited; £20m poured into local coffers, apparently. Brad Pitt dropped in. The Arts Council called the town an “artistic and cultural dream”, which might be over-egging it a tad. But if by that it means affordable rent and property, delicious geography (three sweeping bays, dreamy views across Bristol Channel, and I do love an iron age hill fort) and a nice line in late Victorian architecture, then maybe they’re on to something. Come on, artists. Do your duty. Regenerate!The case against I sense it may take a little more than £50,000 to turn the town’s fortunes around. It’s had a fair bit of investment – the rebuilt pier, smart new paving, festivals-a-go-go, often grim new architecture etc – but many grand plans have come and gone. The town is in great need of a big idea. Oh, the mud at low tide! Continue reading…

Source : theguardian.com
Read more…Let’s move to Weston-super-Mare: it’s building on the Banksy Effect

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