London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Apr 26, 2026

Merrivale Model Village owner shares Banksy's tactics

Merrivale Model Village owner shares Banksy's tactics

The owner of a model village has revealed how Banksy used diversion tactics to leave a spray-paint calling card at the venue in secret.

A miniature stable signed by Banksy was placed at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on 6 August.

The tiny shack has since been taken off site to protect it.

But the attraction's owner says Banksy's team has requested it be placed on show for the public, which he will honour.

Frank Newsome said he was in a state of shock after the famed artist confirmed the model stable was one of 10 artworks left in Norfolk and Suffolk during his so-called Great British Spraycation.

"I'd convinced myself it wasn't genuine," he said.

"Now it's worrying me about how to keep it safe."

Security measures, Mr Newsome explained, were in place, and the stable he said he had been keeping in Perspex would be on display on Sunday and then again from Tuesday onwards between 11:00 and 16:00 BST.

The artwork was left by Banksy on 6 August but was not noticed until a visitor pointed it out two days later

Mr Newsome revealed how the artist's caper got under way when the venue was visited last week by a group of people who refused to have their photograph taken as part of the ticket system.

"One lady got talking to a member of staff and asked to see the model repair room and that got [the employee] out the way," he explained.

"Then some other guys set up a drone and the staff asked them to take it down and they said they wouldn't, then that got the attention of everyone.

"It was a diversion tactic, they hid in plain site, but apparently that's what Banksy does.

"He is so clever. He had everything planned to a tee."

Is this Banksy? An Instagram video shows a hooded figure spraying the rat mural on the sea wall in Lowestoft

Prof Paul Gough, principal and vice chancellor of Arts University Bournemouth, said Mr Newsome and other owners of locations decorated by Banksy would come under "a lot of pressure" to sell the artworks.

"All sorts of private organisations will be offering several hundreds of thousands of pounds and some people do hold off but some can't withstand that pressure for very long," he said.

Mr Newsome said in the short-term he wanted to keep the model "as it was intended - for the public to enjoy and appreciate".

He added: "But in the long-term we've got to make the right decision, we don't want to jump into anything.

"We are a family business and we will need to sit down together about it."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
UK Calls for Full and Toll-Free Access Through Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Starmer Signals Strategic Shift for Britain Amid Escalating Iran-Linked Tensions
UK Issues Firm Warning to Russia Over Covert Underwater Military Activity
OpenAI Halts Stargate UK Project, Casting Uncertainty Over Britain’s AI Expansion Plans
Starmer Voices Frustration Over Global Pressures Driving UK Energy Costs Higher
UK Deploys Military Assets to Protect Undersea Cables From Suspected Russian Threat
Canada Aligns With US, UK and Australia as Europe Prepares Major Digital Border Overhaul
Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance Sparks Fresh Speculation
Starmer Warns Sustained Effort Needed to Ensure US–Iran Ceasefire Holds
UK to Partner with Shipping Industry to Rebuild Confidence in Strait of Hormuz, Cooper Says
UK Interest Rate Expectations Ease Following US–Iran Ceasefire Agreement
Starmer Signals Major Effort Needed to Fully Reopen Strait of Hormuz During Gulf Visit
UK Fuel Prices Face Ongoing Volatility Amid Global Pressures and Domestic Factors
×