An art dealer has called for Romford's Debenhams to be turned into the world's sixth street art museum.
John Brandler, owner of Brandler Galleries in Brentwood, said the area could attract thousands of visitors by opening a new international street art museum.
He told this paper: "If we put Romford on the map internationally for culture it would [improve] employment and a stimulus for the local schools.
"It’s a no-brainer."
The art dealer has offered his own art collection to the museum, including works by Banksy and Damien Hirst, as well as promising free art workshops for children and workspaces for artists.
He added the existing five international modern art museums in New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Munich allure tourists to the cities and encourage them to spend money in the local areas.
Data from the Association of Independent Museums found museums supported almost 9,000 jobs UK-wide, two-thirds of which were in the local area.
The research further showed museums attracted around 24 million visitors, who spent £440 million in total.
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