A Southampton resident has told of his despair after a well-loved Southampton mural was painted over by developers.

Cocktail bar Revolucion de Cuba featured a colourful mural on Above Bar that was seen by thousands of residents and visitors upon their entrance into the city centre from New Road.

The bar suddenly announced its closure back in January and since many have wondered if the iconic mural on the front of the Above Bar Street premises would be preserved.

READ MORE: Calls to preserve Cuba mural for good after Revolucion de Cuba closure

However, the mural has been replaced with a layer of grey paint.

It was revealed in the Echo on Wednesday that a planning application had been submitted to see part of the building transformed into flats with the lower floors being maintained for a bar.

Cab driver and former Southampton councillor Perry McMillan said he was ‘absolutely gutted’ that the mural had been painted over.

READ MORE: Driver, 90, hits brick wall and woman injured for life

He said: “This mural really brightened up the city centre and was a fantastic example of how Southampton is a creative, colourful and ethnically diverse city.

“It was one of the first things drivers would see as they came through New Road.

The former mural at Revolucion de Cuba The former mural at Revolucion de Cuba (Image: NQ) “I think that tearing the mural down and painting it over really sends out the wrong message.

“We have seen some brilliant examples of eye-sore concrete buildings being transformed around the central station area.

“Westquay Carpark has also been brightened up by talented local street artists.

“We always want to keep the city attractive – we have thousands of cruise passengers coming to our city and we want them to see a colourful and vibrant city.”

The cab driver said that he wanted to see more colourful murals representing the communities that populate Southampton.

Another anonymous Southampton resident responded to the planning application stating that: “I enjoy the colour that the existing mural has brought to the area and think a mural should form part of any re-development.”