TORQUAY, ENGLAND The renowned graffiti artist known as Banksy has apparently left his mark on a hotel in Torquay.
Artwork showing a young boy painting a robot has shown up on the side of the 46-key Grosvenor Hotel. While it has not been confirmed that Banksy—whose actual identity remains secret—was the artist, an image of the artwork has since been posted on his website.
The hotel is working to preserve the mural behind plastic encasing in the hopes that it becomes a tourist attraction, or at least raises the value of the property, which is currently for sale for £1.5 million.
General Manager Joleen Layman tells BBC News that the mural, which uses an extractor fan fixed to the exterior wall as the robot’s face, has already spiked business for the hotel. “It’s crazy how much interest it has generated,” Layman says. “The phone has been ringing off the hook.”
