The Dug Out: Campaign to save Banksy-painted community centre

A Bristol community centre which boasts early Banksy artworks on its walls has been put up for sale by its owners.

The George Wills Memorial Hall, in Barton Hill, known locally as The Dug Out, has been listed with a guide price of £650,000.

Local residents had started a petition to stop the sale, insisting they wanted to keep the space as a community asset.

Owners Wellspring Settlement said the building was “a financial liability we can no longer afford to maintain.”

The building opened in 1926, after tobacco magnate Sir George Wills funded construction to help Barton Hill residents keep active.

In the 1970s, it became a music venue, hosting bands like Adam and the Ants, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Massive Attack.

A decade later, a project called the Barton Hill Aerosol Art Project began there, turning parts of the site into a big canvas for graffiti artists.

The building still has some of Banksy’s earliest works spray-painted on its walls.

In recent years, it has housed Barton Hill Amateur Boxing Club.

Alex Smith, from the Barton Hill History Group, said he wanted the building to continue being used by the local community.

“The population of Barton Hill is growing exponentially, with hundreds of new houses planned nearby, you need to have community facilities for these people.

“Barton Hill is going through a lot of changes and it is prime real estate up for grabs.

“We want to see it sold to someone who will look after it going forward and not exploit the site,” he added.

Wellspring Settlement said it was keen to receive bids that would ensure the land benefits the local community in the future.

“The Dug Out is an old building which would take considerable time and investment to bring up to a good condition.

“The current financial climate is challenging for charities and Wellspring Settlement is no different.”

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