Legendary Beatles night: Fab Four ejected from Crown and Mitre

The new release, Now And Then, which is out now, is a long-lost Beatles track originally written and sung by John Lennon, with contributions from George Harrison.

The song has now been completed by surviving members Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr, decades after the initial recording.

It was November 1963 in Carlisle (almost sixty years to the day) and The Beatles were playing support for 17-year-old Helen Shapiro, who had a hit out at the time Walkin' Back to Happiness, in The Lonsdale Cinema, later known as the ABC Cinema -  a building which no longer exists.

Beatlemania at Carlisle concert (Image: NQ)

Andy Park, a 21-year-old at the time working as a pop reporter for the Carlisle Journal, shared vivid memories of that historic night in 1963.

"It's a funny thing in music, three months is an eternity," he said.

"Helen Shapiro would have been massive when the package was put together but meanwhile, The Beatles came along it was a phenomenon. It was just incredible. Ticket queues were around the block for the show.

"The ABC was a nightmare, you couldn't write anything over the screams."

Following the show, the Fab Four would be stopping off at Carlisle's Crown and Mitre Hotel.

"When they arrived at the Crown and Mitre, Carlisle Golf Club was having a presentation night. We're talking sixty years ago, golf was a completely different ball game.

"The people who played then were solicitors and bank managers, and a golf club presentation would be full of people in suits and ball gowns.

"One of the guys recognised Helen Shapiro, so they invited her in along with The Beatles. They must have stood out like a sore thumb, they lasted five minutes before being asked to leave," Andy recalled.

(Left) Andy Park alongside the late broadcaster John Myers (centre) and Rue Slater from Rue & The Rockets (right) who were playing at Crown and Mitre the night The Beatles got turfed out. (Image: Andy Park)

Andy, who went on to create Andy Park Promotions and recently celebrated 50 years of running an entertainment agency, reflected on what the music scene was like back then.

"In Carlisle in the sixties, every big band in the world played Carlisle. They either played at the Market Hall or the Cosmo Ballroom. The ABC package shows were on about five times a year, whereas in the other venues, it was every week.

"When I was writing my pop column, I had to decide between The Kinks, The Who and The Hollies - they were all here at the same time," he said.

Andy went with The Hollies for his column that week. 

"There was that much material I couldn't promise any band they would feature in the paper.

"The best artist I've seen in Carlisle though was Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. I've always been a Soul and Motown fan," he said.

He has now told the story of his professional life in two books: Andy Park, Cumbria’s Music Man and Centre Stage.

His latest book Centre Stage has so far raised over £10,000 in aid of The Cumberland Infirmary Cancer Centre.

It is available for purchase via email to Andy Park - andypark8181@gmail.com