Beatles mural honours Peterborough's entertainment history
A mural that celebrates two occasions when The Beatles performed in a city has been completed on a shop window. The band played in Peterborough at The Embassy Theatre twice in the 1960s, and stayed at the Bull Hotel in Westgate in the city.Nathan Murdoch, the artist who created the work, said he did not know the band had visited Peterborough until the mural was commissioned by Peterborough Positive. Mr Murdoch said: "The reaction so far has been amazing."
The mural depicts the band's Abbey Road album cover, and is painted on the side of a Poundland store at Hereward Cross in the city centre, adjacent to a zebra crossings. The artwork has been created on a window rather than a wall, which Mr Murdoch said had been challenging. "Because of the weather and temperature we have to keep moving our [completion] date."Anything below 5 degrees Celsius, nothings drying. The paint congeals and my spray paint spits out, it doesn't flow smoothly because it's frozen. "We've had a couple of nightmares." Peterborough Positive is a campaign by the city's Business Improvement District, to improve the city centre.
The Beatles were welcomed to the city in 1962 to perform at The Embassy Theatre, during which they stayed at the Bull Hotel on Westgate. In March 1963 the group returned to the city for another performance at the same venue and stayed in the same hotel. During their hotel stay, the Fab Four made handwritten entries in the visitor book. In the entries they joked that Paul McCartney expected 58 people in his room, while John Lennon listed 33, George Harrison expected two, and Ringo Star and manager Brian Epstein indicated they would be alone.
While painting, the team said they caught the attention of passersby who shared their experiences of seeing the band perform in the city. Mr Murdoch said the group - who were unknown at the time of their first performance in the city - were "booed off and came back a year later and were famous".Pep Cipriano, the chief operating officer at Peterborough Positive, said: "Art plays a vital role in placemaking and has the power to transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary experiences. "The Beatles mural is not just about recreating an iconic image; it's about giving people to stop, look and connect with the city's heritage."
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