Beatles mural honours city's entertainment history

The Beatles performed in Peterborough twice during the 1960s and stayed in a hotel in the city

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 along with Tony Nero, 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 Fab Four's first appearance in Peterborough, on a bill headlined by Frank Ifield in December 1962, was their first UK show outside Liverpool and came about because national promoter Arthur Howes lived in the city, according to Hunter Davies in his official biography The Beatles.

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 crossing.

The artwork has been created on a window rather than a wall, which Mr Murdoch said had been challenging for the pair of street artists.

"Because of the weather and temperature we have to keep moving our [completion] date.

"Anything below 5C, nothing's 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.

Nathan Murdoch says creating murals is better when he is able to have conversations with people passing by

In March 1963 the group returned to the city for another performance at the same venue and stayed at The Bull again.

During their hotel stay, the band made handwritten entries in the visitor book.

They joked that Paul McCartney expected 58 people in his room, while John Lennon listed 33, George Harrison expected two, and Ringo Starr and manager Brian Epstein indicated they would be alone.

Work has been delayed on the mural due to poor weather conditions

While painting, the team said they caught the attention of passers-by who shared their experiences of seeing the band perform in the city.

Mr Murdoch said the group - who were relatively unknown outside Liverpool at the time of their first performance in the city - were "booed off and came back a year later and were famous".

Pep Cipriano, 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."