It's Sidneys to the left of them, Sidneys to the right...

Nov 7 2007 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

VISITORS to a restaurant called Sidney’s will see several Sidneys when they get inside.

Sidney’s bistro restaurant, on Percy Street, Tynemouth, is displaying four iconic Sidney images on its walls.

They have been painted by fine-art graduate Alan Finn whose work is commissioned through local gallery Art Evolution.

The pop-art-style prints are impressions of famous people named Sidney and feature Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols, Sid James from the Carry On films, Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett and Hollywood legend Sidney Poitier.

Head chef and restaurateur Alan O’Kane took over the restaurant in 2006 but the name Sidney’s has been its title for years. He said: “For years I have wondered who Sidney is and what story lies behind the name of the restaurant.

“I have been promoting Art Evolution’s collection in the restaurant for a while now so I asked whether an artist would be able to make some impressions of Sidneys.

“I didn’t want to change the name of the restaurant because it already had a strong customer base and had built up recognition. I always get people asking me who or what is Sidney? So now I can just point to the paintings on the walls!”

Art Evolution rents and sells more than 1,200 pieces of open and limited-edition photographs, sculpture and paintings produced by more than 100 North-East artists.

Sidney artist Alan Finn, who graduated from the University of Sunderland, said: “The task of painting various famous people all called Sidney was an easy one for me as I draw inspiration from my love of art, music, movies and icons.

“I hand-painted each picture using acrylic on canvas and I adapted the pop-art method using black, white and grey as signature colours, which gives a striking effect, making them all truly original pieces of art.”