They are familiar faces who all have links with a coastal town.

And as work continues on a scheme to turn a historic former seaside hotel into 15 flats and a café, a series of stunning portraits are now adorning the front of the prominent vacant building.

With the former Royal Court Hotel on London Road South in Lowestoft having stood empty for more than a decade, Kirkley businessman Desmond Baldry has teamed up with the owner of the building, Safdar Khan, to brighten up the area.

Mr Khan, managing director of Lowestoft Court Apartments Ltd, commissioned Mr Baldry - who runs the Adams Family Shoppe but is also an accomplished portrait artist - to create a series of artworks to go on the front windows, which will then be displayed inside the building once it is completed.

The former hotel was originally opened in 1988 and ran as a 22-bedroom hotel until it closed in July 2009.

The building was then used as temporary accommodation for homeless people as well as an industrial space, before being purchased in 2019 by Lowestoft Court Apartments Ltd.

East Suffolk Council granted permission in November 2020 for the long-derelict Royal Court Hotel to be converted into a café and 15 flats.

Work has continued since then, with Mr Baldry's stunning portraits installed on the front of the building last week.

He said: "Saf asked me about a year ago, and the idea was to create portraits of people and venues connected with Lowestoft.

"It has given the building a facelift, with Kirkley on the up.

"Each one is an original acrylic piece on canvas measuring 175cm x 110cm.

"This has been my largest project so far as I have only been doing portraits a couple of years.

"Obviously I love to do it, and the portrait painting is getting off the ground.

"Saf has worked very hard to get this project together and he was very, very pleased with the finished portraits as they have links to Lowestoft's history with people past and present featuring.

"Everybody seems to like them, people have been stopping to take photos and they have already sparked a lot of interest."

Who features on the portraits?

From top (left to right): Britain's first gay policeman from Lowestoft, Sgt Harry Daley who went on to join the Met.

Victoria Cross winner Claude Castleton from Lowestoft.

Frontman from The Darkness, Justin Hawkins, who grew up not far away from London Road South in Lowestoft.

Actor Michael Caine who moved to Lowestoft in the 1950s and lived in Kirkley.

England football captain Terry Butcher, whose portrait Mr Baldry said was "one of the most detailed", hails from Kirkley.

Emmeline Pankhurst, who was involved in setting up Suffragette offices on Waterloo Road in Kirkley in 1914.

British artistic gymnast Giarnni Regini-Moran, who trained at the nearby Waveney Gymnastics Centre.

Bottom left to right: Robert Hook, Lowestoft lifeboatman and coxswain who saved more than 140 lives.

John Adamson Lowestoft’s first recorded fisherman of colour in 1901.

Olympic boxer Charley Davison, who hails from Lowestoft.

Mariners Score, a famous Lowestoft scene.

Sir Samuel Morton Peto, a civil engineer, railway designer, MP and Baronet, who is credited as being the maker of modern Lowestoft.

A scene showcasing Lowestoft beach.

Portrait artist Mr Baldry is available for any paintings/commissions and if you would like further details email him via desmondsoflowestoft@gmail.com