Gino Verrecchia, owner of The University Cafe in Glasgow, has been unveiled as one of the subjects of King Charles III's portraitists latest project, in recognition of the often under-appreciated impact of local businesses on Britain's high streets.

The owner of one of Glasgow’s most iconic cafes has been unveiled as one of the the subjects of King Charles III’s portraitists latest project

Gino Verrecchia, owner of The University Cafe in Glasgow, has been painted by Gareth Reid, an acclaimed portrait artist who painted HRH King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) in 2019.

He is one of four independent business owners that have been painted by royal portrait artists for a new public exhibition at the prestigious Saatchi Gallery.

Gino said it was a ‘wonderful surprise to be selected’ as Local Royalty, a campaign by Coca-Cola Great Britain recognising the contribution independent businesses make in their local communities..

He said: “The University Café has seen a lot over the years, from celebrity visits to starring on the big screen, but being named Local Royalty by Coca-Cola is a first. It was a wonderful surprise to find out I'd been selected, and it's been a fantastic experience. Seeing Gareth’s portrait come to life has been fascinating and made the experience even more special. We're proud to be a fifth-generation family business, but it really is the people of Glasgow who have kept the cafe at the heart of the community for more than a century.”

The exhibition will be open to the public from 28 October to 1 November at the Saatchi Gallery in London, one of Britain’s leading art galleries.

The exhibition depicts Gino alongside three other local business owners who have been immortalised in a manner historically reserved for royalty, titans of industry and stars of stage and screen, in recognition of the often under-appreciated impact of local businesses on Britain’s high streets.

The portraits have been painted by some of the country’s most celebrated portrait artists, each of whom has had an official commission to paint a member of the Royal Family.

The University Cafe was opened in 1918 by Gino’s grandfather Pasquale. Gino now runs it with his sons Americo and Paulo, continuing the family tradition.

A cultural landmark within the city, Anthony Bourdain was among its famous visitors, stopping by for battered haggis during a trip to Scotland.

Gareth Reid, portrait painter to HRH King Charles III, said: “I wanted to meet Gino in a casual setting where he would be comfortable, and I know the University Café very well. This is a Glasgow institution, known and loved by so many people in the city so I wanted to make it just as much part of the portrait as Gino.Gino is front and centre, relaxed but in charge, showing a hint of mischief and recognisably within the walls of his iconic cafe.”

placeholder image — Gino with his portrait | Supplied

Joining Gino in the exhibition will be a pub landlord, convenience store owner and takeaway owner who have been painted by renowned portraitists Nicky Philipps, Nick Bashall and Jamie Coreth. These artists have painted Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne and the Prince and Princess of Wales respectively.

The portraits come as new research from Coca-Cola Great Britain reveals that 79% of the public believes that the contributions of independent business owners to their local communities is underappreciated. A further 8 in 10 (79%) said their local community would be worse off without independent businesses while 87% said they are an essential part of life in Great Britain.

There is also widespread concern for the headwinds faced by such businesses, with 83% saying they are facing unprecedented challenges and 80% wanting to see them celebrated more often. Most tellingly, 37% said they’d struggle to live without cafes, with 49%, 35% and 31% saying the same of corner shops, takeaways and pubs.

Dusan Stojankic, Vice President and General Manager of Great Britain & Ireland at Coca-Cola said: “Independent businesses, like Gino’s, are the backbone of modern Britain. The businessmen and women that run them work tirelessly and are at the very centre of their communities. We’re proud to have worked alongside them for more than 125 years, and with 97% of our products sold here also being produced and bottled here, we’re invested in local communities. This exhibition is an ode to them. Put simply, they are local royalty.”

Each business owner will also receive a donation for a local charity of their choice and the finished portrait, which they can display in their home or business and pass down through their family for generations.