uk | Street Art Everywhere

‘Hot girl summer’ is fast approaching in the UK, and when the sun’s out, the gun’s are out (and just to clarify for any American’s reading – that doesn’t mean bustin’ a cap in someone’s ass, sorry). On an Easter Bank Holiday weekend in England there’s no finer sight than cold beers, ice cream, fish and chips and fat blokes with their tops off – making Hastings the perfect destination for some day tripping.

Banksy paid a visit to Hastings way back in 2010 and painted the ‘Tesco Sandcastles’ mural. Having never seen it nor been to Hastings, I wanted to see if it was still there… twelve years later.

Incase you didn’t know, Hastings is a small seaside town situated on England’s southeast coast and is famously known for the ‘Battle of Hastings’ in 1066 – though I’m not here to give you a history lesson. Google it.

You can get to Hastings from London pretty easily; two hours by motor or just under that via train links. If going by train, this departs from Charing Cross station.

It’s not the most glamorous seaside town I’ve ever been to, but it’s also nicer than some of the shitholes I’ve visited. UK seaside town’s can be pretty run down and grim, so never go to these places with any sort of expectation… especially if you want to sit on the ‘beach’, which is basically just pebbles.

So I guess you’re probably thinking: Is Banksy’s ‘Tesco Sandcastles’ still in Hastings?

The answer is, yes. It’s still in great condition and protected by plexiglass [as of 18th April 2022].

This piece is located in the ‘St Leanords’ district and is approx a 30 minute walk from the train station.

En route to the Banksy piece, be sure to take in some of the scenic sights down the seafront and watch out for the pesky sea gulls knicking your food. Also, FYI, walk on the pavement and not on the pebbled beach, it’ll take forever and ruin your feet.

As always, when going to see a Banksy [you’ve never seen before], the anticipation builds up as you approach the location. Part of me was worried it was a wasted trip down the promenade. It’s also pretty gutting when you go see a Banksy piece and it’s not longer there, too…

That said, the worry faded away as soon as I got to the ‘Tesco Sandcastles’ mural and saw that it was still in a-m-a-zing condition. I was also pleasantly surprised to see it looking so well after all these years. It was covered in plexiglass, but even still, there’s always some bellend that wants to ruin it for everyone.

So here’s ‘Tesco Sandcastles’ from Banksy’s 2010 visit to Hastings. This piece is also featured on Banksy’s official website, giving it the full authentication.

– I also took way too many pictures, apologies