Brighton ice cream shop plans more murals

The outside wall of an ice cream shop in Brighton could soon host colourful murals again after an art company applied for planning permission.

Global Street Art wants to paint the murals on the side of the Gelato Gusto ice cream parlour on the corner of Gardner Street and Church Street.

Previous artwork attracted criticism, with the Brighton Society complaining about one which promoted Oatly vegan ice cream in 2019, although Brighton and Hove City Council took no enforcement action.

The conservation group, which regularly tweets about graffiti blighting Brighton, also highlighted a Bombay Sapphire gin promotion at the same spot earlier the same year.

Global Street Art said that painted artworks did not require advertising consent from council planners.

The firm said, though, that it was submitting its application to allow for sponsored murals with a “limited element of advertising”.

Previous advertising murals on the site included one for Converse Connectivity in 2010 and a joint promotion by Brighton and Hove Albion and Sky Sports in 2018.

The planning application said: “This proposal is concerned solely with providing vibrant and inclusive premium murals to enrich thhe character and vitality of the area, adding to the sense of place experienced in Church Street and a small section of Bond Street when passing or stopping near by.

“The historic use of the wall for the display of hand-painted art murals has made a positive contribution to the streetscape to the benefit of the local community.”

The murals would be hand-painted to “preserve and enhance the historic integrity of the conservation area” and would not be lit.

To see the planning application and to comment, click here and search for BH2021/02245.