BRITAIN’S greatest living pop artist paid an official visit to the Liverpool restaurant named after him.

Sir Peter Blake, creator of the world’s most famous record album cover, made an emotional visit to Blake’s Restaurant in the Hard Days Night Hotel.

He was in Liverpool as the VIP guest at a fundraising dinner for Ness Botanic Gardens, Wirral, organised by city gallery Editions Ltd.

His 1967 sleeve design for the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band provides inspiration for Blake’s Restaurant’s décor.

And he told the Daily Post that if it was redecorated he would be “very interested” in taking on the job.

“It is very flattering and exciting to eat in a restaurant named after you,” said Sir Peter, 78, who first met the Beatles in 1963, while they recorded their first national television appearance at Twickenham Studios.

“It was just before they became famous and only one person recognised them while we sat in hotel lobby.”

Sir Peter’s big break was winning Liverpool’s John Moores Biennial Exhibition junior prize in 1961.

His friend Robert Fraser, the influential swinging ‘60s gallery owner, who art directed the Sgt Pepper album sleeve, persuaded the Beatles to drop the original psychedelic design and hire Peter Blake instead.

He created the now world famous collage cover, for which he was paid only £200.

“I met the Beatles to talk about the concept and they had their costumes made and a set was made to look like a municipal gardens,” said Sir Peter.

“We all made lists of famous people for the Beatles to chose the life-size figures from and I put it all together as the album was being made.