The owner of the Port Talbot Banksy has said he has no plans to return it to Wales when he takes the artwork away from the town next week at a cost of £50,000.
John Brandler, who owns Season’s Greetings, said it was not his decision to move the piece out of Port Talbot and that he was asked to do so.
The move will be taking place on Tuesday of next week and the piece will go on show at the University of Suffolk in Ipswich.
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Neath Port Talbot Council's leader said keeping the artwork in the town would have cost £100,000 a year just for the loan of the piece - and more money to pay for a new home, moving and insurance costs.
Season’s Greetings, which appeared on a private domestic garage in Taibach in 2018 reflects on the dangers of pollution.
The image shows a child dressed for the winter and playing in what appear to be falling snowflakes on one wall, but are actually ash and smoke from a skip fire depicted on the wall just around the corner.
It was subsequently bought by Mr Brandler for an unspecified six-figure sum, before it was transferred to Ty'r Orsaf, the site of the former police station in Station Road where it has been ever since, behind a large glass window.
Mr Brandler said: “The Banksy will be moving next Tuesday.
“I asked the company that moved it originally to move it out, as it’s such a complicated process. They said they did not want to get involved. I was looking at paying Scott’s £50,000 but the work is now going to a company in London.”
Andrew Scott’s managing director Mark Bowen said moving the artwork came at a cost higher than they were paid, but they did so because it was for the good of the town.
Mr Bowen said they had offered support to Mr Brandler for some time in his plan to move the art 270 miles to England.
He said: “The cradle we designed for the Banksy is a one-off. We really helped John with regard to the Bansky as we moved it originally.
“It was quite a complex design and quite a complex move and it did not cost us £50,000, it cost us £100,000.”
He added: “It’s exceptionally busy and we did not take the decision lightly. We are working on projects of upwards of £20 to £30 million - we do not have the resource to put to this small project. The people who looked after that project are not available.
“We moved it originally as a community benefit, we had to mark every pothole and every drain and have a vehicle with an axle that deflected them.”
Mr Brandler said bosses at the University of Suffolk were delighted the Banksy was going to be moved there.
He said: “Port Talbot did not want it, I did not ask to take it away. The council asked me to take it away. I wanted to bring Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Kaws, Connor Brothers, Nick Walker and My Dog Sighs.
“I feel sorry for people in the town, who could have benefited so much - it’s so sad. The University of Suffolk is over the moon.”
Mr Brandler indicated he had no plans to return the artwork to Wales following the issues he had encountered and suggested Banksy would not do so either.
He added: “I was asked by someone in the council once we take it away will I bring back again. This has almost put me in hospital. You couldn’t make it up, it beggars belief.
“I don’t think Banksy will come back to Wales after being treated like this.”
Neath Port Talbot Council leader, Coucillor Ted Latham, said: “When the council made enquiries as to plans for the piece, given the temporary arrangement to house it at Pobl’s Ty’r Orsaf building was due to end in January, the council were informed that it would now be moved to Peterborough where an exhibition of street art is due to be held.
“Discussions were held on future arrangements and the potential for the work to remain in Port Talbot, but the council was informed that it would have to meet the costs of its removal and installation into a new venue, to continue to cover the insurance and to pay a fee in the region of £100,000 per year for the loan of the work.
“It has been estimated the cost of removal and relocation to another venue (even without insurance to cover the operation to move it) of Season’s Greetings would be around £50,000.”
A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesman added: “The council wishes to thank Pobl for its agreement to house the Banksy since 2018, giving many people the chance to view the piece.
“Since its appearance and its subsequent display in the town centre, it has sparked great interest in street art generally within the county borough and has led to the development of further street art works in Port Talbot in particular, which the council supports.
“The council wishes the owner of Season’s Greetings well and is grateful so many people had the chance to view it here in the time it was loaned to us. The future of Season’s Greetings is now of course a matter for Mr Brandler.”
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