A new exhibition displayed in London’s Saatchi Gallery pays homage to the independent business owners who are the lifeblood of Britain’s high streets.
The Local Royalty exhibition presents four portraits of small business champions, painted by artists who have painted members of the Royal Family.
One such duo is Pindy Kaur, 56, owner of Ocean Fish Bar in Barnsley, and Nicky Philipps, 62, two-time portrait painter to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
When asked how painting Ms Kaur differed from depicting Queen Elizabeth II, Ms Philipps admits she “was better than the late Queen”, who “was quite fidgety”.
Ms Philipps, whose 2013 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and her beloved corgis hangs in Buckingham Palace, went on to say the late monarch could be forgiven for the occasional squirm, considering she sat for more than 200 official portraits during her 70-year reign.
On the artistic process of portraiture, Ms Philipps said: “You’re trained to paint what you see, so you paint what you see.
“The things that give [a portrait] an extra dimension is if they talk, which [Ms Kaur] did.
“It’s very difficult if people don’t engage.”
Ms Kaur, whose natural effervescence hints at why she was chosen for the project commissioned by Coca‑Cola Great Britain, says her fish and chip shop, which she’s been running since the early 2000s, is all-consuming.
“You never get a break, you can never go anywhere”, she said, explaining her reluctance for her children to inherit the family business.
In this week’s Budget, the Chancellor promised breathing space for business owners.
However, the announcement of a tax rate rise from £1,000 to just £3,000, and an increase in the minimum wage, is likely to come as disappointing news for many independent, family-run businesses that rely on local customers.
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The weight of this pressure isn’t lost on Ms Kaur.
Perhaps that is why she wants her children to build on the opportunities she’s paved the way for, rather than take up the mantle of local royalty – that title is reserved for their mother.
Local Royalty is free to attend at Saatchi Gallery, London, until November 1.
Pindy Kaur and Nicky Philipps will appear on Sunday with Michael Portillo on November 1.
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