The Cavern Club

The Cavern Club – 10 Mathew Street Alan Sytner opened the Cavern on 16 January 1957. The former fruit warehouse was initially an unlicensed jazz club. Skiffle bands also appeared and it became more of a venue for beat groups from October 1959 when Ray McFall took over. Rory Storm and the Hurricanes opened the first beat night. In early 1961 Bob Wooler became the DJ and organised the hugely popular lunchtime sessions. The club is synonymous with the Beatles who made 292 appearances between 1961 and 1963; Pete Best played his last show with the band there in August 1962. However, the club was not financially secure and faced closure as it was unable to comply with health and safety. On the last night, 28 February 1966, fans barricaded themselves inside with staff including doorman Paddy Delaney. Following a high-profile campaign with support from local MP Bessie Braddock, the venue reopened on 23 July 1966. However, despite a broader music policy and performances by international artists the club was to close again in 1973 resulting from the compulsory purchase of the warehouses by British Rail for an underground railway. Then owner, Roy Adams, opened a new Cavern club opposite the location of the original. But this was short lived and closed soon after. After the murder of John Lennon in 1980 there were plans to reopen and redevelop the Cavern site, but some of the original foundations were unsafe. In 1984 the Cavern Club reopened, occupying approximately ¾ of its original site and utilising many of the original excavated bricks. The venue had mixed fortunes and several different owners, closing again in 1989. Cavern City Tours saw potential and put together a proposal to reopen. In 1991 live music returned to the Cavern.

Photo metadata - Cavern Club entrance. Taken on 19 March 2021 by Vicki Caren.