‘Why Greece should be envious of Weston’

Richard Jones, publisher of Home Sweet Home: Banksy’s Bristol speculates on the economic impact of Banksy’s Weston-super-Mare show and suggests that you can play your part in supporting the local economy by visiting www.tangentbooks.co.uk

As Banksy fans from across the globe head to north Somerset for the opening of the Bristol artist’s Dismaland show, Weston-super-Mare could be on the brink of the biggest ever cash windfall for the local economy.

Where government, local government and venture capitalism has failed, Banksy will surely triumph by changing the immediate economic fortunes of Weston. On a global scale, do we really need the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and protectionist trade agreements when we’ve got a bloke with an aerosol can of paint, a stencil, a step ladder and a bad attitude?

The Greeks must be very envious of their Somerset tourism comrades.

Sod Paris or Florida, #WestonSuperMare only place to be this summer! #Dismaland #Banksy #Disneyland opening soon! pic.twitter.com/6OSpd7LxtH

— Upfest Urban Arts (@Upfest) August 19, 2015

And what about the art? As always with Banksy’s work, location and humour are vital components. For so many local funseekers who were drawn to Weston in their youth, the Tropicana promised so much more than it delivered. The name implies palm trees, cocktails, sun and sex. The reality was a concrete swimming pool surrounded by mud. How did they get away with it?

The Tropicana has been derelict for the best part of 15 years. It was opened in 1937 and allegedly had the highest diving board and was the largest open air swimming pool in Europe. Art in dereliction – it’s a theme that’s consistent with Banksy’s roots.

But back to the loot. Bristol reckoned that the Banksy vs Bristol Museum show in 2009 brought £15 million into the local economy. That’s probably a massive under-estimate.

It certainly doesn’t take into account the business done by Jeffrey the Big Issue seller (below) whose pitch is outside the Nat West bank on the Triangle. Jeffrey told me he was sending money home to his family in Jamaica because he sold so many Issues over the course of the show.

It also doesn’t take into account the money raised for Oxfam thanks to the donation of Banksy gifts to the charity shop opposite the City Museum & Art Gallery.

But let’s stick with the official figures from Destination Bristol who released the following information in 2009:

• Seven out of 10 people from outside the city who visited the exhibition were only in Bristol to see it – a total of 140,170 people who would not have come were it not for the Banksy vs Bristol Museum show.
• About 55,000 extra hotel and bed and breakfast rooms were occupied by people staying in the city. Visitors who came to the city solely to view the exhibition spent £10.3m.
• This included £6.1m spent by staying visitors, on items such as food, drink, shopping and hotels.
• Visitors who came on day trips but who did not live within a 25-mile radius spent about £4.2m.
• Bristolians also contributed to the local economy, spending £4.3m in shops, pubs and restaurants while on a day out to see the exhibition.
• Just over one in three exhibition-goers – 106,744 in all – lived within 25 miles of the museum and 201,975 lived further away, with 6,482 people – about one visitor in every 48 – coming from overseas.

I’m really looking forward to the Weston show. I’m toying with the idea of flogging copies of Banksy’s Bristol on the beach. But if that doesn’t work out, you can make your contribution to the local economy by visiting www.tangentbooks.co.uk

Read our investigation about what exactly Banksy is planning at the Tropicana