Giant Banksy artwork for sale with derelict Liverpool pub

  A derelict pub in central Liverpool that features a 30ft painting by urban artist Banksy has been put up for sale.   The 8,000 sq ft Whitehouse pub in the Chinatown area is daubed with a giant image of a rat holding a machine gun, which has been verified as a genuine Banksy work.     Local agent Sutton Kersh has put an open market asking price of £495,000 on the vacant building, which does not include the value of the painting.   Street art enthusiasts are expected to force up the price of the pub because the artwork is one of the UK’s largest Banksy pieces.   Jonathan Owen, commercial sales director at Sutton Kersh said: “This is a unique opportunity for both investors and Banksy enthusiasts. Whether the artwork is retained is the decision of the purchaser.”   The building, on Duke Street, has planning permission for various uses including offices, restaurant or residential uses.   Sutton Kersh will consider auctioning the pub in the event that a large number of offers are received.   Banksy shot to fame as a graffiti artist in Bristol in the 1990s and his work has subsequently sold for up to £288,000.   Earlier this year the Mail on Sunday “outed” the artist as Robin Gunningham, a “former public schoolboy” from Bristol.   david.quinn@rbi.co.uk