Artist’s anger as Tabby Cat mural is treated as “scrap”

Julie Stribley said her community artwork mural “Tabby Cat”, which had been on a bus stop on Canklow Road for about four years, had been “unceremoniously removed” to make way for a new bus stop.

She said: “Travel South Yorkshire workmen have allowed an unknown member of the public to take the complete item, along with the metal scrap, in a white Transit van,.

“An eyewitness report says that the mural was intact as the van drove away. “The workmen do not know who the member of the public were, but gave it to them freely.

“As the artist, I’m especially aggrieved because rather than remove and preserve the mural, which would have been an easy task turning a few screws, the item was treated as disposable scrap.”

The mural had recently been varnished and was in “perfect condition”, said Canklow resident Julie, who has begun work on a full wall mural on the Premier shop a few metres away, with the owner’s blessing.

Members of the Canklow community have joined her in the appeal for help in locating the mural so it can be returned, restored and mounted elsewhere.

“With permission from Travel South Yorkshire, I’ve removed the memorial mural called ‘Spike’ across the street to prevent the same action in the coming days as that bus stop is to be replaced,” added Julie.

“Both bus stop murals can be found as Pokéstops in the app game Pokémon Go, which is kind of a big deal.

“They were a vibrant asset to the community and brought happiness to the residents here.”

A spokesperson for Travel South Yorkshire said: "Regretfully, we had no record of Julie Sibley’s artwork on Canklow Road and so could not give the contractors instruction to save it when the bus shelter was removed."

Travel South Yorkshire also offered to display the Spike mural Spike at Rotherham Transport Interchange, which Julie described as a "nice offer".

"However, we'd like to keep the artwork in the Canklow community and it will be displayed at Casting Innovations," she said, "which is a place that the gentleman frequented before he passed away."

She added that she understood Travel South Yorkshire may have no record of the Tabby artwork because it was "guerilla art" — street art pieces in public places.