One Nottingham resident said ‘it isn’t exactly Banksy’ and it’s left parts of the city looking a real mess
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11:42, 28 MAR 2026
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In some Nottingham streets, graffiti is welcomed from murals in Sneinton to the vibrant street art throughout Hockley, but elsewhere, a tagging war has gripped parts of the city, hitting businesses in the pocket.
The new personalised tags have appeared in recent weeks, marking the usually clean shop shutters and walls of independent businesses, and appearing on the sides of abandoned council buildings.
From charity shops to businesses, the vandals have spared no space across the city, with numerous reports of tags such as “YCV” and “Slicey” appearing in areas including Lister Gate and The Lace Market.
While Nottingham City Council is responsible for its own buildings, business owners have been hit by the upfront costs of removing the graffiti themselves.
Anna Paterson, who works at White Rose, in Old Market Square, said: “I don’t really know what to do.
“There used to be relief for shops with the council offering 40% off to get rid of it, but it was years ago.
“We are a charity shop, and we don’t have much of a budget for things like that, and it just means that we are going to have to sort it ourselves.
“I don’t think they will stop. We have lots of problems with groups of kids running around, getting on roofs and doing things like this, just causing trouble.
“They must be teenagers, as adults with full-time jobs are too tired to do things like this.”
Fahaf Murdaza, a shop assistant at I Crack in Albert Street, said he has been forced to try to cover up the tags with white spray paint at the business’s expense after a recent incident in which the store’s shutters were vandalised.
“It happened about a month ago, it’s the same down the street, and unfortunately, we don’t have the same CCTV. The council has told me that if I need any help from their side, they will charge me
“I have had to buy spray paints to cover it, but it doesn’t work on the wood, so it’s not properly covered.
“I can’t see who is doing it, and there are a lot of kids, and we can’t say anything to them.”
While nearby streets have proud murals, Lister Gate itself is now covered from top to bottom with tags, and Justin Alan, a city resident, said he was disappointed to see one of the gateways into the city defaced.
He said: “Well, it isn’t exactly Banksy,
“It’s disappointing to see, but it is all over the place now. I have noticed it more recently.
“Someone should be arrested for this; it is unacceptable, and it’s just making the streets look tacky.
“We have some gorgeous street art in Nottingham just around the corner, but this is far from anything that you could call art, I mean, look at it, it’s just bland.”
Another store that has been targeted, High Rollers, told Nottinghamshire Live that its shutters had been tagged and that it is likely to bear the costs of cleaning them up itself.
The vandals have also tagged public buildings, including the Guild Hall, and sections of the Nottingham Canal.
Responding to the spree, a Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: “Vandalism is unacceptable, and we recognise the impact it can have on local businesses, residents and the appearance of the city.
“The council works closely with partners, including Nottinghamshire Police, to address graffiti and other forms of anti-social behaviour.
“Where graffiti appears on council-owned buildings or assets, we aim to remove it as quickly as possible through our cleansing teams. We also work with property owners to provide advice and support where graffiti affects privately owned buildings.
“We encourage anyone who spots graffiti or vandalism in Nottingham to report it via the council’s website so it can be investigated.”
When asked whether any arrests had been made in connection with the various tags in and around the city centre, a Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: “We are aware of a number of incidents involving graffiti in Nottingham city centre and are working with Nottingham City Council and the business community to identify those responsible.
“Graffiti can spoil people’s enjoyment of an area, and so it is disappointing to see parts of the city centre vandalised in this way.
“It is worth bearing in mind that graffiti is an act of vandalism and is illegal. As such, offenders can be charged with a criminal offence.
“If you have any information that could assist our enquiries, please call us on 101. Alternatively, information can also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.”
A general view of graffiti on a property in Hounds Gate, Nottingham city centre. (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)1 of 5Share
A general view of graffiti on a property in Hounds Gate, Nottingham city centre.
A general view of graffiti outside White Rose in King Street, Nottingham city centre. (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)2 of 5Share
A general view of graffiti outside White Rose in King Street, Nottingham city centre.
A general view of graffiti on the Guildhall in Burton Street, Nottingham city centre. (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)3 of 5Share
A general view of graffiti on the Guildhall in Burton Street, Nottingham city centre.
A general view of graffiti on a door in Castle Gate, Nottingham city centre. (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)4 of 5Share
A general view of graffiti on a door in Castle Gate, Nottingham city centre.
A general view of graffiti on a property in Lister Gate, Nottingham city centre. (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)5 of 5Share
A general view of graffiti on a property in Lister Gate, Nottingham city centre.
Nottingham City Centre
Nottingham City Council
Nottinghamshire Police