Banksy mural covered with plastic sheeting and wooden boards

The new Banksy mural in north London has been covered with plastic sheeting and surrounded by wooden boards.

The artwork appeared on the side of a residential building in Hornsey Road, Finsbury Park, on March 18.

It has now been covered with plastic sheeting by the building’s owner, a spokesman for Islington Council said on Wednesday.

Banksy claimed the mural as his own in an Instagram post after it drew crowds and attracted speculation.

The artwork features swathes of bright green paint sprayed on to the building behind a cut-back tree, creating the impression of being its foliage, with a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose.

An Islington Council spokesman said in a statement to the PA news agency: “The Banksy artwork has attracted huge crowds, and there is a need to protect the art and local residents from the impact of visitor numbers.

“The clear plastic and wooden frame over the artwork was installed by the owner of the building, not by the council.”

They added: “To give people more security and privacy, and to protect the tree, we’re installing a hoarding, which will include clear plastic panels to protect the artwork and allow clear views.”

PA understands that the new hoarding will be wooden with panels to allow visitors to see the mural while giving its neighbours some more security.

It will run alongside the existing black railings, next to the pavement.

Previous “temporary measures” put in place by Islington Council included metal fencing and regular checks by Park Patrol officers to manage crowds and help protect the artwork.

The spokesman said the council will continue to explore “future solutions with the building owner so people can enjoy the artwork”.

The mural was defaced with two streaks of white paint just two days after it appeared.

A council spokesman said at the time: “We are discussing future solutions with the homeowner, to enable everyone to enjoy the artwork while protecting it, the tree and the surrounding area.”

They said the local authority is also in the process of installing a CCTV camera.

PA has contacted the owner of the building for comment.