Has a new Banksy appeared in Southport?
Workers at Silcock’s Funland and Silcock’s Carousel were shocked to turn up for work this morning to discover new street art painted on the shutters.
It shows a gorilla riding the Carousel while a monkey also holds on.
The Carousel – also known as Herbert Silcock’s Golden Gallopers – dates from 1901, in the Victorian era.
Last year it was voted the fourth best seaside attraction in the UK in the national Bucket and Spade Awards.
Silcock Leisure Group Operations Manager Serena Silcock-Prince said: “Seeing the work came as such a surprise to myself and the staff as we arrived for work this morning. It has been a real talking point.
“It was painted overnight and it looks similar in style to the street art by Banksy that has been popping up around the UK this month.
New Banksy style street art has appeared at Silcock’s Funland in Southport
“We are all in shock! It’s amazing.”
Banksy has been creating a series of animal themed street art in recent weeks.
The meaning of works by the artist known for making political statements has been widely debated online.
One shows a gorilla and other animals pulling up the shutters and escaping from London Zoo.
The artwork, spray painted with a stencil, showed an ape holding up part of the roll-down gate, allowing birds to fly off and a sea lion to waddle away as three sets of eyes peered out from the darkness inside.
Another features a howling wolf painted on a satellite dish to look like it’s silhouetted against a full moon.
Also featured is a rundown old billboard that featured a big cat stretching out.
Some have suggested that Banksy’s most recent street art is a play on guerrilla art or a comment on the role of zoos.
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