University Cafe owner celebrated as 'local royalty' with portrait by artist who painted King Charles

The owner of the University Cafe in Glasgow has been honoured with a portrait by a royal artist as part of a new exhibition.

Gino Verrecchia is one of four independent business owners to be painted for a new exhibition entitled Local Royalty at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

He was immortalised by Gareth Reid, who is also based in Glasgow and previously painted King Charles III in 2019, when he was Prince of Wales.

The exhibition celebrates the contribution independent businesses make to their local communities and will run from October 28 until November 1.

Gino Verrecchia is part of five generations of owners of the University Cafe. Coca-Cola

Gino has been at the helm of the University Cafe on Byres Road for years, following in his grandfather’s footsteps, who owned the cafe back in 1918.

The cafe celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018 and has been visited by many celebrities, including Antony Bourdain in 2015.

The celebrated chef was filming a TV series and ordered battered fish, deep-fried haggis, chips, cheese, and curry sauce with an Irn-Bru, which later became known as the “Bourdain Special”.

Following his visit he declared Glasgow to be “one of the most awesome cities anywhere”.

‘Wonderful surprise’ says Glasgow cafe owner

Gino 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 added: “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.”

Local Royalty is a campaign run by Coca-Cola following research which found that a majority of people think independent businesses are underappreciated.