The same happened to tiny beautiful street art by the same artist on the corner of Colwell Road and Lordship Lane - there were three - two on the corner house and one on a lamppost - the lamppost one is the only remaining one. I spoke to the painters when they were decorating and they said they wouldn't paint over it - but they did. When I asked they said the residents wanted it. I can't believe they'd be so ignorant as to get rid of such a unique and lovely feature - and if they'd realised it's value they probably wouldn't have! It was so unobtrusive too. I loved it, as did my children and I wish it had been painted on my wall!