MILLENNIUMHOTELS&RESORTSWELCOMESSIRPETERBLAKETOITSBEATLESINSPIRED

PROPERTY

(April2017) Iconicpopartist, SirPeterBlake, honouredby theCity of Liverpool. SirPeter, oneof themajorfiguresofBritishpopartwhofamouslycreatedthealbumcoverforTheBeatles’Sgt.Pepperalbum,wasmadeaCitizenofHonouronSunday.

Sir Peter received Liverpool's Citizen of Honour at a VIP event held by Liverpool Biennial at BlakesRestaurant within Hard Days Night Hotel. On the day, he was in the city to celebrate the two-yearextensionofEverybodyRazzleDazzle,hisiconicartworkfortheMerseyFerrySnowdrop.EverybodyRazzleDazzle,commissionedin2015byLiverpoolBiennial,14-18NOW:WW1CentenaryArtCommissionsandTateLiverpool,inpartnershipwithMerseytravelandNationalMuseumsLiverpool,hasbeenseenbymorethan5millionpeople.

Originallyduetoendthisyear,theextensionoftheDazzleFerrymeansitcancontinuesailingthroughoutthis year’s 50 Summers of Love celebrations and Liverpool’s 10th anniversary as European Capital ofCulturein2018.

SirPeterhasalonghistorywithLiverpool,winningtheJohnMooresPaintingPrizein1961andbecomingthe first patron of the UK’s best-known painting competition in 2012. He also reprised his iconic Sgt.PepperimagewithfamousfiguresfromLiverpool’shistoryasacentrepieceforthecity’sCapitalofCulturecelebrationsin2008.

More than 30 guests gathered at the artist’s namesake Blakes Restaurant, located in the heart of theaward-winninghotel.

LordMayorofLiverpool,CouncillorRozGladden,said:“IamdelightedtobeabletopresentthishonourtoSirPeterBlake.SirPeterhashelpedshapeLiverpool’sculturalsignificanceontheglobalstage formorethanfivedecades–fromSgt.PeppertoEverybodyRazzleDazzle.

“HisworkwithTheBeatleswasoneof the seminalmoments inpopular art in the20th century and50yearsonstillresonatesaroundtheworldaswewillseewithour50SummersofLoveprogramme.

“That work alone is worthy of celebration but the fact that he has continued to make outstandingcontributionstotheculturallifeofthecityunderlinesthedepthoffeelinghehasforLiverpoolandthecityhasforhim.”

SirPeterBlakesaid: “I'mdelighted tobegiven theCitizenofHonourAward.Aswell asmymusic linkswiththecity,I'mproudofmyassociationwithLiverpoolBiennialandTateLiverpoolandhopetocontinuemyrelationshipwiththecity.

“I treasurethewarmthandgoodhumourof thepeopleofLiverpoolandhopetheywillacceptmeasan'HonoraryScouser'."

CitizenofHonourAwardswereintroducedin2008toformallyrecogniseindividualswhohaveenrichedtheimageofthecityand/oritscitizens.RecentrecipientshaveincludedJamesBarton,founderofCream,andtheHarryPotterandFantasticBeastsFilmdirector,DavidYates.

GeneralManagerofHardDaysNightHotelStephenFearnleysaid:“WearethrilledonceagaintowelcomeSirPeterBlaketothehotel,andtherestaurantnamedafterhim.SirPeter’slinkswithTheBeatlesdatesbacktohisSgt.Pepper’sLonelyHeartsClubBandalbumcoverdesign,soit’srewardingtocombinethehotel’s inimitable Beatles legacy with his current work. We are proud to join forces with LiverpoolBiennialandLiverpoolCityCounciltocontinuesupportingtheculturaldiversityofthecityofLiverpool.”

LocatedonNorthJohnStreet,HardDaysNightHotelbecameMillenniumHotels&Resorts’24thpropertywithin Europe in August 2015. The ‘Fab Four’-star hotel situatedwithin close proximity to theworld-famousCavernClub,whereTheBeatlesperformedmorethan290times,boasts110guestroomsandisrenownedforitsimpressiveinteriorandoriginality.

-ENDS-

MediaenquiriesHue&Cry:LucyFotheringhamE:millennium@huecryagency.comT:+44(0)2038295690AboutHardDaysNightHotel

HardDaysNightHotelisafourstar,BeatlesinspiredhotellocatedattheheartofLiverpoolcitycentre’shistoricBeatlesquarter.SetinagradeIIlistedbuilding,theboutiquehotelfeaturesexclusiveartworkbyworld-renownedBeatlesartistssuchasKlausVoormanandShannon,andishometoBlakesrestaurant,namedaftertheacclaimedpopartistSirPeterBlakeandtheexclusiveBarFour.

ThehotelopenedtomuchacclaiminFebruary2008,andhassincebecomethedestinationofchoiceforvisitorsandmusicfansfromallovertheworld.As a result of its prominent global reputation, Hard Days Night Hotel has received the prestigious‘TripAdvisorCertificateofExcellence’forfiveconsecutiveyears,andisrecognisedinthetoptenpercentofbusinesses listedon the travel site.Thehotelhasadded to itsever-expanding trophycabinethavingbeennamed‘HoteloftheYear’intheWorkHard,PlayHardAwards2015andwasalsocrowned‘LuxuryGrandHoteloftheYear’bytheLuxuryTravelGuideAwards2016.AboutMillennium&CopthorneHotelsPlc

Millennium& CopthorneHotels plc (LSE:MLC), listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1996, is aglobal hotel company,which owns, assetmanages and/or operates aworldwide portfolio of over 125hotelsacrosseightdistinctglobalbrands–GrandMillennium,Millennium,GrandCopthorne,Copthorne,M Hotel, M Social, Studio M and Kingsgate – throughoutAsia Pacific,Europe,Middle East, andNorthAmerica.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) was established as a global brand by Millennium & CopthorneHotelsplc toprovideacommonmarketingandoperatingplatformacross itsportfolio.Foundedon thephilosophy of genuine hospitality, this dynamic hospitality group has an outstanding reputation forexcellence, taking pride in exceeding the needs of its business and leisure travellers. The strategiclocalities of its properties in key gateways cities such as London, Paris, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha,Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok makes MHR theperfectaddresstoconductyourbusinessorindulgeyourselfwhileonholiday.

AboutMillenniumHotelsandResorts

MillenniumHotelsandResortsisaglobalhotelgroupthatoffersauniquerangeofpropertiesaroundtheworld.Foundedonthephilosophyofgenuinehospitality,thegrouptakesprideinmeetingandexceedingthe needs of business and leisure travellers. Our hotels are never cookie-cutter, but always fresh,surprisingandtailoredtotheirlocation.

Thegroupoffersover100fourandfivestarproperties,ingatewaycitiesacrossAsia,Europe,MiddleEast,New Zealand and North America. Millennium Hotels and Resorts consists of eight brands: GrandMillennium,Millennium,GrandCopthorne,Copthorne,Kingsgate,MHotel,MSocialandStudioM.

IntheUKandEurope,thereare24well-appointedhotels,situatedinprimelocationsacrossLondon,theNorth andSouthofEngland, Scotland,Wales, France and Italy.All hotels offer superb accommodation,directtransportlinksandahighqualityofservice.

FormoreinformationaboutMillenniumHotelsandResortsvisitwww.milleniumhotels.com

LiverpoolBiennialFor more information, please contact Joanne Karcheva at Liverpool Biennial on 0151 203 3589orjoanne@biennial.com

FormoreinformationaboutLiverpoolBiennialvisitwww.biennial.com

LiverpoolCityCouncil

Formore information, please contactMike Doran in Liverpool City Council’s communications team on01512330074or07801453918.

ForthelatestnewsfromLiverpoolCityCouncil,visitwww.liverpool.gov.ukorwww.twitter.com/lpoolcouncil

Photocredit-DaveThompson/PAWire.

Left to right: JanMorris (SalesManager,HardDaysNightHotel), theLordMayorof Liverpool, CouncillorRoz

Gladden,ChrissyBlake,SirPeterBlake,CouncillorAnnO’ByrneandTheLordMayorofLiverpool,CouncillorRoy

Gladden.