50th Anniversary Rita Retirement

Part of the 50th Anniversary Rita Retirement Series, celebrating the retirement of Rita Gilligan MBE,  one of the early waitresses to join the Hard Rock team the year the Hrd Rock London opened, and the brand founded, in 1971, and longtime brand ambassdor, after 50 years of service.  Each pin in the series features with her trademark red hair and white uniform, posing in front of a local scene and wearing or holding one or more locally themed axcessories. 

The pins are sold on a special red backing card featuring an outline drawing of Rita with her left hand displaying the 'rock on' hand signal. The Hard Rock 50th Anniversary logo is at the bottom left of the card in gold and to the right of the logo, across the rest of the bottom of the card is Rita's name; 'Rita Gilligan, MBE' in white lettering. (MBE stands for 'Member of the Order of the British Empire' and is a UK honour awarded to people for making a positive impact in their line of work.)

In the Hard Rock London pin, Rita is shown standing face on with both arms held up. In her right hand she holds what can be interpreted as a baton, a sceptre or a microphone. Her left hand is displaying the 'rock on' hand signal. She wears a crown and a lanyard with several pins on it, and the letters MBE in red capitals are on her left front, just below the shoulder. At the left of the pin, a London Routemaster bus is seen face on, as if emerging from behind Rita. On the right of the pin is a Hard Rock logo above which is a representation of a Guardsman and a sentry box, the Guardsman's body language indicating shock... that Rita is retiring?

The back of the pin is gold in appearance with a design of crossed horizontal and vertical guitars interspersed with Hard Rock logos. A four line text box has a first line reading 'Limited Edition 300'. A guitar pick shaped hologram authenticates the pin as a genuine Hard Rock product.

The pin went on retail sale on 16 June 2021 price £12.45.