Portrait of 'Glasgow Royalty' Gino who owns The University Cafe by artist who painted King Charles

Now Gino Verrecchia, whose grandfather, Pasquale, launched the University Cafe in 1918, has had his portrait painted by a Scotland-based artist who has previously created a painting of King Charles.

Painted by Glasgow artist Gareth Reid, who was named Portrait Artist of the Decade in 2024 and who has also painted figures including Graham Norton and Dame Judi Dench, the portrait shows Mr Verreccia posing in the cafe, which he now runs with his sons, Americo and Paulo.

Mr Verrecchia is one of four independent business owners from across Great Britain to have been painted by a celebrated portrait artist with royal connections as part of the Local Royalty initiative. The portraits will go on public display in an exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery.

The exhibition depicts Mr Verrecchia 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.

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.

Late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has been among famous visitors to the University Cafe, stopping by for battered haggis during a trip to Scotland.

Mr Verrecchia 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.”

Gareth Reid, portrait painter to HRH King Charles III, whose studio is close to the University Cafe, 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.”

Joining Mr Verrecchia in the exhibition will be a pub landlord, convenience store owner and takeaway owner from around the UK, 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.

Dusan Stojankic, vice president and general manager of Great Britain and Ireland at Coca-Cola, which is behind the project, said small business owners are “local royalty”.

He 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. This exhibition is an ode to them.”

Each business owner will receive a donation for a local charity of their choice and the finished portrait.

The exhibition is on display at the Saatchi Gallery from 28 October.