New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The largest mural in Camden Town's trail of street art tributes to
Amy Winehouse has been whitewashed after complaints from residents about the number of fans stopping in the side-street to see it.
Artist Jason Howarth's artwork, at the corner of Albert Street and Delancey Street, has been signed by the late singer's parents, Mitch and Janis, with the words: "Love You Amy."
It was created to mark what would have been the Back To
Black singer's 30th birthday in
September 2013.
Some fans left adoring messages next to the picture, which showed Amy with guitar player
Robin Banerjee.
The leaseholders, the popular Ferreira delicatessen on the corner of the street, said they had painted over the wall after it fell into disrepair. Staff said yesterday (Wednesday) a handful of residents had complained about the mural, due to the number of fans seeking it out, and even threatened to boycott their shop.
Mr Howarth said: "I think in the end it was too much bother for everyone. There had been some complaints from people who live around there - because people did go and stand and look at it - and the lease said it had to be kept in order."
He added: "It was only supposed to be there for two months but it has been there one and half years, and not one person went over it. Look at Banksy, his work gets perspexed over all the time. People have said to me the mural deserves perspex. The fact that it has been up so long without anything happening to it is a little victory for me."
Mr Howarth said he got the idea for the mural after meeting Mr Banerjee in Camden Town.
He said: "After Amy died I got very upset and I came into London to retread some of her steps. I walked about Camden Town with a card getting signatures for Amy - I was going around all the old haunts, the Hawley Arms. I got signatures from Mitch and Janis and the guitarist from the band, Robin, said to me: 'You're good at painting, can you paint me and Amy?'"
The Albert Street North Residents Association said it had not made any official complaints about the mural.
Ms Winehouse, who lived most of her adult life in and around Camden Town, lastly in Camden Square, died aged 27 in July 2011.
A statue was put up in her memory in the Stables Market last year and there are several smaller murals to the singer dotted around Camden Town.
The manager of the delicatessen, who did not want to be named, said: "The wall was getting cracked and it needed to be repaired."
