Commuters and shoppers could hardly believe their eyes this week when they walked by the cobblers next to Tunbridge Wells station. The outside of Quality Shoe Repairs had been given a makeover by a graffiti artists.
The owners of the shop on Mount Pleasant, were approached by Joshua Piehl, who goes by the name Mr Skosh, offering to illustrate the outside for free.
The premises are often targeted by tagging, the basic writing of a graffiti artist’s name, and shop manager Paul King was delighted to give the go ahead to decorate the exterior – a process that took just two days.
“It was in a terrible state, the taggers targeted it and it was looking horrible,” said Mr King.
“He did it for free and it looks amazing, everyone has been positive about it and I think it now looks so much better.”
He added that the shop is now unlikely to be tagged again as it is considered poor form for one graffiti artist to cover another’s work.
Mr Skosh, 28, of Tunbridge Wells, has previously been commissioned to decorate Oaklands Day Nursery in Tonbridge, Allenby Primary School in London and Grosvenor and Hilbert Park in Tunbridge Wells.
His latest illustration shows a beach scene, two men to represent the two who work there and a large boot on the front with several gremlins surrounding it.
He said: “I walk past the shop twice a week and it is a busy pathway, so I thought it would be nice, and it also gets my name out there.
“Recently, I’ve gone full time – although I have been doing it for 15 years. I have done a lot of schools but I am also being asked to do offices too.”
He carries the motto: I like turning neglected spaces into desirable places.
