Could Banksy step in to help save Reading Gaol?
It's been reported that Banksy has offered to pay £10 million to try and save Reading Gaol from being sold to a property developer.
The famous street artist covered one of the walls with artwork in March this year. It depicts a man using bedsheets to escape.
The artist has offered to match the £10 million asking price for HMP Reading by selling the stencil he used to paint on the building.
The grade II listed building It has been at the heart of Reading since 1844, immortalised by its most famous inmate Oscar Wilde.
In May the Ministry of Justice rejected a £2.6billion plan by Reading Borough Council to transform the former jail into an artistic hub, including housing.
The MP for Reading East, Matt Rodda, has said he welcomes the backing by Banksy and is calling on the government to let the council and others buy the Gaol.
Earlier this year the Ministry of Justice it was looking for new bids for the site, saying that the sale would ‘seek the best value for taxpayers and be reinvested into the justice system’.
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