'Ron's place': Inside flat tenant secretly turned into work of art only uncovered after he died

ITV News Correspondent Sangita Lal visited 'Ron's Place' to see the art that has inspired a campaign backed by Jarvis Cocker.

Hidden inside one eccentric man's flat is a fantastical piece of artwork that has inspired a campaign to preserve it.

Ron Gittins moved into the flat in 1986 and he was allowed to decorate the interior of the property.

He spent his time turning the rental property in Birkenhead, Merseyside, in into an artistic fantasy world for himself.

He passed away in 2019 and the flat was left in a state of disrepair.

His sister and her husband took over Ron's affairs when he died, and struggled with the amount of belongings and rubbish left behind.

They brought in Ron's niece and her partner, and the pair recognised the home's artistic value.

The campaign they started hopes to raise enough money to pay the rent and council tax with the aim of purchasing the whole building.

The idea has received the support of stars including Jarvis Cocker.

The Pulp frontman is backing the campaign. and has said all proceeds from a book signing will go to the charity.

Ron’s Place is the ground floor of a large, three-storey Edwardian semi-detached property in Birkenhead, with a market value of around £465,000.The group want to use the income from the three rented flats in the property to pay off any mortgage they get.

However, the current owner of the building has said they want to renovate the entire building, risking the loss of the artwork altogether.

The campaign said they appreciated the landlord's patience with them but said they had "one last real chance to save Ron's."

The building needs extensive renovations and the group is hoping to raise £50,000 to being the work.

The group hope they will be able to open a mini museum to show off Ron's work and encourage more people to think creatively and out of the box.

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