‘I’m gutted’: Councillor says much-loved mural must be whitewashed

Nation.Cymru Staff

A councillor who spent two years bringing a new mural to his community says he may now be forced to paint over it after a joint owner of the building reportedly made a criminal damage complaint.

Councillor Gareth Rice, who represents the Briton Ferry East ward on Neath Port Talbot Council, unveiled the mural in March after funding the project himself as “a gift to the community”.

The artwork, created by south Wales artist JenksArt, depicts engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel alongside a number of landmarks and symbols linked to Briton Ferry’s history.

Brunel was instrumental in extending the Great Western Railway through south Wales, as well as in the creation of the Vale of Neath Railway and the design of Briton Ferry Dock, now known as Brunel Dock.

Also featured are the Earl of Jersey’s coat of arms, the incline railway and Brunel Bridge from Jersey Park, Brunel Tower, and a tribute to William Daniell’s painting ‘Britton Ferry, Glamorganshire’.

On 23 March 2026, Cllr Rice shared that he was “extremely pleased” that the mural had been completed, writing on Facebook: “It’s taken time, patience, and a fair bit of perseverance, but I’m absolutely delighted with the end result.

“From the original idea, to finding the ideal location, gathering all the necessary permissions, securing a talented artist, clearing and preparing the area, and then finally waiting for a few dry days (which have been very scarce lately!)… it’s been a journey.

“But the finished piece is, I’m sure you’ll agree, nothing short of phenomenal.”

He explained that, after hearing residents share embarrassment over “the state” of the area, which is one of the main entranceways to Briton Ferry,  he hoped the mural would give them a “renewed sense of pride”.

In addition to the mural, Cllr Rice also cleared and landscaped the surrounding area “from an overgrown piece of wasteland… to give the mural the setting it deserved.”

He also urged local property owners to look into grants available to “freshen up and improve the kerb appeal” of “tired” buildings around the mural.

Cllr Rice gave his thanks to the owners of the building, the tenants Castle Kitchens, Hugh James who provided a sketch for the final design, and “the incredible artist” JenksArt, before noting that the project had been completely funded by himself and not with council money.

However, three months later on Saturday 20 June, Cllr Rice revealed that the future of the artwork has been thrown into doubt.

In a Facebook post, Rice wrote: “I genuinely believed I had sought and received the correct permission. I spoke directly with the person(s) I understood to be the owners of the building and acted in good faith throughout.

“I thought I had done everything right.”

Rice said that only after the mural was completed had “another joint owner, someone I didn’t know existed” come forward.

“She was, and remains, very unhappy, and has since reported both me and the mural to the police as criminal damage. She has also insisted that it be removed immediately,” he explained.

South Wales Police have been contacted for comment.

Cllr Rice also noted that Castle Kitchens and Bedrooms had been “nothing but supportive and positive throughout”, but said the dispute had left him under “constant pressure”, facing demands for the artwork to be removed “since the mural went up”.

He continued: “While many of you have kindly stopped me to say how much the mural has meant to the community, I’ve carried the quiet knowledge that I might one day be forced to destroy it…

“Despite the love this artwork has received from everyone who has seen it… despite the messages, the photos, the pride it brought to the town… I now have no choice but to whitewash it.”

“I know how much this meant to the community, and to say I’m gutted would be an understatement.”

“Looking forward — if anyone has a suitable location and would be willing to allow similar artwork in the future, somewhere we can bring colour and joy to the community properly and with full permission — please message me. I’d love to see what we can build together.

“This isn’t the end. If anything, it’s the beginning of something bigger — something we can create together, in the right place, with the right permissions, and with the same passion that made this mural so special.”

JenksArt, who has been creating public murals since 1999, criticised the situation, writing: “The piece isn’t 3 months old, loved by the whole community and the building’s owner has her eyes on revenue the wall can make her after it being cleared by others for the purpose of a mural.

“Absolutely disgraceful!”

Many commenters also shared their disappointment, highlighting that Cllr Rice appeared to have acted in good faith and was unaware there was a joint owner. Others suggested organising a community petition which may “promote the local voice to the co-owner”.