Banbury station mural to be covered up (From The Oxford Times)

Banbury station mural to be covered up

6:00pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News

A MURAL depicting Banbury will be covered up to make way for a Costa coffee shop at the town’s train station.

Chiltern Railways said the 2001 mural would be covered under one of two options.

Head of stations Chad Collins said: “We are undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the station environment. This year, we intend to open a new coffee shop which will provide Banbury station with a more inviting and modern entrance area.

“Due to there being a limited amount of space available, the mural will no longer be visible.

“However, we will either protect it or donate it to an organisation that is able to preserve it.”

The move follows discussions with Banbury Civic Society and Cherwell Rail Users Group about its future.

Civic society chairman Rob Kinchin-Smith said: “What makes us cross is Chiltern’s clear rejection of the values that underpin the mural, these being corporate citizenship, community, heritage, public art and the station’s role as gateway, not to ‘their’ railway, but to our historic town.”

But rail users group chairman Chris Bates said: “We are glad to hear that this mural will survive, and look forward to discussing the detail with Chiltern.”