The Tiger Who Caused a Row
Furious residents threaten to take legal action over ‘eyesore’ mural on house
ITS mystical design, of a tiger lounging on fluffy clouds surrounded by jumping rabbits, was supposed to bring a smile to the neighbourhood.
But few of the middle-class residents in the trendy suburb of Chorlton, Manchester, were happy when this giant orange and blue mural started going up.
In fact, they are so angry that they have threatened to sue Lisa Watson, 47, unless she removes it from the side of her £400,000 home on Thornbridge Avenue.
Mrs Watson had commissioned local artist Tasha Whittle to paint the gable end of her home, which is being renovated. But residents in the well-heeled area, where Victorian houses sell for up to £700,000, have called the artwork ‘an eyesore’ and say they are unhappy that Mrs Watson failed to properly consult them.
The mural is inspired by French artist Henri Rousseau’s Tiger in a Tropical Storm and the children’s book A Tiger Who Came to Tea.
After some expressed their concern this week, Mrs Watson posted a letter through their doors – along with an image of how the finished mural would look – explaining it was intended to ‘enhance the brick and enliven the space’. She said the colours would ‘complement and blend in well with the brick’, adding: ‘Instead of a blank wall there will be a happy image to enjoy which (hopefully) brings a smile to faces of all ages.’ She also claimed she had spoken to neighbours whose back gardens look directly on to the gable end and they were ‘positive’.
But yesterday residents told the Daily Mail they had been ‘hood-winked’ by Mrs Watson and didn’t fully understand the true nature or the timescales of what she had planned. One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: ‘This woman is crazy. How on earth did she think this would be in keeping with this area? It’s such an eyesore. People work hard to afford the houses around here. This will only devalue our properties.’
Another resident said they had engaged a solicitor to take legal action if the mural wasn’t removed within 21 days.
Yesterday Mrs Watson was unrepentant. The mother-of-two said: ‘It wasn’t my intention to p*** my neighbours off, but I don’t need planning permission for this. It’s my home and this is not a conservation area.
‘Wait until it’s finished – then you’ll see a difference.’ Manchester City Council confirmed it received complaints about the mural but said it did not breach planning rules.