A WORCESTERSHIRE pub has pride of place in a new artwork by the man behind the famous cover of the Beatles album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Sir Peter Blake – who co-created the iconic cover of the 1967 album featuring the Fab Four alongside figures such as Marilyn Monroe and Karl Marx – has created a new collage in support of next month’s Small Business Saturday.

Among the 61 small business owners featured on the poster are Lynda Williams and Gary Whitby of the Bear and Ragged Staff in Bransford.

The artwork entitled HIGH STREET HEROES was commissioned by America Express and is available for download free at amexshopsmall.co.uk in support of the event o Saturday, December 6 promoting small businesses.

Miss Williams, who has run the pub alongside Mr Whitby since 1997, said she was delighted they had been picked to appear in the artwork.

“As a small, independent public house we always try to support other local businesses and source local ingredients,” she said.

“Everyone in the world knows who Sir Peter Blake is and knowing that we’re in his next piece of art is a really amazing thing.”

Every person in the picture is shown holding the tools of their trade, with Miss Williams and Mr Whitby pictured with two glasses of wine, some fresh bread and a bottle of Champaign respectively.

Sir Peter, who also designed the cover of the 1984 Band Aid single Do They Know It’s Christmas?, said he wanted to highlight the importance of small shops and businesses to the British economy.

“The notion of a nation of shopkeepers is embedded in our folklore and the wonderful variety of today’s independent shops as well as the character that small businesses bring to a local area make them an ideal subject matter for modern pop art,” he said.

“Having worked at a local butcher at the age of 13 I have also experienced the dedication and hard work that goes into running a small shop.

“It is for all these reasons that I am thrilled to be lending my support to a campaign that champions small businesses.”

Research has shown 43 per cent of people shopping on previous Small Business Saturdays have chosen specifically to visit independent businesses as a result of the campaign, generating a total of £468 million across the UK.