The owners of Exeter's Westgate wall mural that is to be covered up as part of urgent repair work, have pledged to support any project to replace the art work. Richard and Sylvia Turpin, who have owned the property since 1984, have spent thousands of pounds over the last 20 years, helping keep the mural in good condition. But each time , within 18 months of remedial work being carried out, the weather breached the old clay bricks and caused significant damp problems to the flats inside. Work on finally solving the problem by re-rendering, repairing and insulating will start next week - weather permitting. Mr Turpin said: "I suppose this has been going on for 20 years. The mural has been re-painted three times, the last about five years ago, but within 18 months the damp comes in again. "We have had a detailed surveyors report which says the brickwork is moving which reopens the cracks. "Some of the rendering is hollow behind. There has to be a worry it could fall off and hit somebody. "We will be very sorry to see the mural go. It has been part of our life. The street level part will stay because that wall was rebuilt and is sound. "We have a duty to our tenants who I have to say have been wonderful throughout and put up with a lot. "I know the 20th Century Society is looking into it but I have to say the materials are ordered and paid for and we have already delayed work. "The scaffolding has been up for 10 weeks now, and work will go ahead next week, weather permitting." Mr Turpin, 72, said he had been in touch with the city council for many months over the proposed work, and was told by city planners in June of this year that "it is apparent that there is no political support for contributing to the repair of the mural". Mrs and Mrs Turpin, who have been married more than 50 years, have strong and long connections with Exeter, and the St Thomas area in particular. They now live in quiet retirement on the edge of the city. Mr Turpin said: "I have to say we don't want all the hassle, but we are happy for a mural to be repainted." Mattie Richardson, leader of the Fore Street Traders group, has started a crowd-funding website (renew the Exeter Westgate mural) to raise funds to repair or renew the mural. She said: "I have spoken to Mr Turpin and he is very sympathetic and I would defend him against the world on this. "The original artist Andrew Stacey is on board. He won't do the physical painting of any new mural, but would act as project manager. "People are quite divided on whether we restore the old mural or provide something new. "I think I rather like the idea of a mix of new and old." The group also plan to investigate the possibility of projecting the existing mural on to a large wall on the other side of New Bridge Street.
