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7.34am
14 October 2009
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How many have been lucky enough to go here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.u…..eatles.htm
I went a few years back and it was an unbelievable experience. To actually be in the rooms they lived, slept, ate, WROTE AND SANG in was amazing. The tour guides were quite good (I expected them to be a bit OTT) and I guess the only big downer was that you weren't allowed to take photos inside, although you could outside……but then only from the front!
Of all the attractions in Liverpool, this has to be the best.
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
11.55am
31 March 2008
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I've never been. I really must. I've not been to Liverpool since the mid 1990s when I was applying for a university place (I didn't get in – how life might have been different…), apart from my stag night in 2006, which was more of a drinking spree than a cultural awakening 
Your description of being there sounds a lot like how I felt inside Studio Two at Abbey Road last year. There's a real sense of history with some of these places.
I've taken the Magical Mystery Tour tourist coach trip around Liverpool, to Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane and so on, and I'm pretty sure it went down Menlove Avenue and Forthlin Road. At the time the National Trust didn't own the houses so there wasn't much to see – we were discouraged from bothering the people who lived there.
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Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
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12.16pm
14 October 2009
Offline Joe said:
Your description of being there sounds a lot like how I felt inside Studio Two at Abbey Road last year. There's a real sense of history with some of these places.
Joe I cannot tell you how envious I am of you going there. I was only thinking the other day – if there is one place in the world I'd love to go and see then this is the place! Sadly getting in is as good as impossible I would imagine………. I've been outside quite a few times, but that's it.
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
12.25pm
14 October 2009
Offline Joe said:
I've never been. I really must. I've not been to Liverpool since the mid 1990s when I was applying for a university place (I didn't get in – how life might have been different…), apart from my stag night in 2006, which was more of a drinking spree than a cultural awakening
I've taken the Magical Mystery Tour tourist coach trip around Liverpool, to Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane and so on, and I'm pretty sure it went down Menlove Avenue and Forthlin Road. At the time the National Trust didn't own the houses so there wasn't much to see – we were discouraged from bothering the people who lived there.
Oh you have to go! How long from home – about a three hour drive?
Stay the night here (http://www.blenheimlakesidehotel.co.uk/) in the house where Stu Sutcliffe used to live. I have stayed there and it's not far out of the centre. There is so much to see and do as you well know. Surely you need a break from all your writing, so take the camera and go for it
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
12.39pm
26 January 2010
Offline And if you ever do Joe, maybe i'll see you in The Grapes to buy you a pint to say thanks for the site. I haven't been on the official tours in Liverpool but when i was about fifteen i spent a few weeks travelling to parts of Liverpool i'd never been to take photographs of their various houses and birthplaces and places of interest like the Jacaranda. I've still got the set of photos with my handwritten descriptions on the back. That must have been 1985!
I'll have to check out that house Stu lived in. Ive never been there
Onward my friends, and glory for the thirty ninth!!
12.55pm
31 March 2008
Offline Wow, thanks both. I'll definitely bear in mind the Sutcliffe house tip (looks like they were quite a well-off family). My wife recently suggested we go to Liverpool – she's not a major Beatles nut but likes to see me happy! I think she looked at getting a room at the Hard Day's Night Hotel but it seemed overpriced and didn't get great reviews. We'll probably go for a drink at the bar if we're passing though.
As you say, Liverpool's only a few hours away so there's really no excuse. I'd also like to stay at the Gate House in Portmeirion, which looks amazing: http://www.portmeirion-village…..38;pID=117
I don't think this is particularly well-known among Beatles fans. I stumbled upon it by accident when we were thinking of going to Portmeirion.
The Grapes – I had a pint there in the 1990s. I went along on my own and sat in the corner drinking up the atmosphere. Some of the locals started chatting to me, which was a strange experience for a city-dwelling southerner. Friendly place, Liverpool.
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
1.23pm
14 October 2009
Offline Joe said:
Wow, thanks both. I'll definitely bear in mind the Sutcliffe house tip (looks like they were quite a well-off family). My wife recently suggested we go to Liverpool – she's not a major Beatles nut but likes to see me happy! I think she looked at getting a room at the Hard Day's Night Hotel but it seemed overpriced and didn't get great reviews. We'll probably go for a drink at the bar if we're passing though.
As you say, Liverpool's only a few hours away so there's really no excuse. I'd also like to stay at the Gate House in Portmeirion, which looks amazing: http://www.portmeirion-village…..mp;pID=117
I don't think this is particularly well-known among Beatles fans. I stumbled upon it by accident when we were thinking of going to Portmeirion.
The Grapes – I had a pint there in the 1990s. I went along on my own and sat in the corner drinking up the atmosphere. Some of the locals started chatting to me, which was a strange experience for a city-dwelling southerner. Friendly place, Liverpool.
I've never heard of the Gate House. That's a good find!
I've had a few in the Grapes, but my mind goes a few doors away to Lennon's Bar. I was in there on a 'pilgrimage trip' around 1991 with a mate and Allan Williams was in there. Now normally you'd be delighted to see someone with such a past connected to the Beatles but that wasn't the case. It was so obvious he was hanging around trying to tag along to people so they would buy him drinks and he'd had a few by then as well. As sad as it might seem, we as good as blanked him for it. He was a money-grabbing little bugger back in the late fifties / early sixties and he didn't appear to have changed 
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
12.04am
I was in Liverpool only once, the summer I graduated from high school… waaay back in the 80s. I got a private tour from Allan Williams. He used to drive people around in his Mini Cooper (or some such very small car) and tell these slightly bitter stories about the boys (especially Paul, from what I recall).
He drove us to Menlove Avenue, but not Forthlin Road… but now that both homes are open to the public, I'm going to have to make a pilgrimage! I mean, it's got to be the most spine-tingling experience for one of us lot.
8.05am
14 October 2009
Offline iCaramba said:
I was in Liverpool only once, the summer I graduated from high school… waaay back in the 80s. I got a private tour from Allan Williams. He used to drive people around in his Mini Cooper (or some such very small car) and tell these slightly bitter stories about the boys (especially Paul, from what I recall).
He drove us to Menlove Avenue, but not Forthlin Road… but now that both homes are open to the public, I'm going to have to make a pilgrimage! I mean, it's got to be the most spine-tingling experience for one of us lot.
Crikey! I bet he didn't do it for free though
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
8.57pm
21 August 2009
Offline It's about number 4 on my things to do before I bite the dust, admittedly! I would make the pilgrimage right now, but I don't think my parents would be too fond of the idea of their seventeen year-old daughter trekking around “dirty England.” 
Maybe I'll do it purely for spite! 😉
But, really, I can't wait to venture into Liverpool. I think I may want to do it on my own too; I think it's something I'd like to see on my own. I'm honestly anticipating a life change once I arrive, just by standing in two once inhabited houses. Wow. I shudder in glee just thinking about it. Let's hope age 21 comes quick like the dickens!
Tongue, lose thy light. Moon, take thy flight… see ya, George!
9.42pm
14 October 2009
Offline Alissa said:
“dirty England.”
What DO you mean young lady – we all wash over here you know
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
10.20pm
31 March 2008
Offline 
We're very clean, y'know.
Edit: yep, I know he was Irish. It just seemed right somehow.
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
7.03pm
21 August 2009
Offline mjb said:
Alissa said:
“dirty England.”
What DO you mean young lady – we all wash over here you know
Oh, no no no! Not my point of view, mind you, my very close-minded mother!
She would absolutely cringe at the thought of me straying anywhere from Canada, though I intend to go Here, There And Everywhere myself 😀
Tongue, lose thy light. Moon, take thy flight… see ya, George!
10.01pm
13 November 2009
Offline You should start with Amsterdam or Las Vegas. That way England will seem like Amish country in comparison. 😉
Ad hoc, ad loc, and quid pro quo! So little time! So much to know!
6.55am
14 October 2009
Offline skye said:You should start with Amsterdam or Las Vegas. That way England will seem like Amish country in comparison. 😉
I don't know skye, I can think of a few places here that would put them to shame!
"If we feel our heads starting to swell.....we just look at Ringo!"
4.23pm
13 November 2009
Offline Oh, I'm sure there are, but we don't want to give her mother a heart attack! Besides, if she goes to Vegas, I could drive up and we could see Love together. 🙂
Ad hoc, ad loc, and quid pro quo! So little time! So much to know!
11.38pm
21 August 2009
Offline skye said:Oh, I'm sure there are, but we don't want to give her mother a heart attack! Besides, if she goes to Vegas, I could drive up and we could see Love together. 🙂
I'll get right on it, Skye, as long as I can avoid any aneurisms for me ol' fragile mum, we'll be a-okay 😉
Tongue, lose thy light. Moon, take thy flight… see ya, George!
2.31am
As a new member of this site (and probably the oldest!) I would like to say that my trip to Liverpool was the highlight of my life. You see, I am one of the original “Beatlemaniacs” of the 60’s and I said to myself waaay back then that someday I will go to Liverpool and see the sights. Luckily for me, my dream did come true when my husband and I came to England, London, and drove up to Liverpool. Naturally we took the Beatles tour and I really enjoyed it. It was a very surreal time for me to actually be in Liverpool and to look at their homes in real life. At that time, the Lennon and McCartney homes were not yet part of the National Trust, but it still was a big deal for me to see the homes of all 4 Beatles even though it was from a bus window! I’m hoping that we can make one more trip to England and I have hopes to take the new Lennon/McCartney tour and stay at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel (I too have not seen very positive reviews, but I’m gonna stay there anyway!) So if you’re English, take the time to see the sights before they are gone and you regret not doing it. For the younger members, you’ll get there if you really put your mind to it. It took me 40 years to get to Liverpool, but I never gave up the thought and I always, always remained a faithful fan of the Beatles.
2.37am
13 November 2009
Offline Alissa – Hehe. I'm sure you will. What happens in Vegas, etc. etc.
paulie – 40 years? At least it seemed to live up to your expectations. I'll have to apply for my passport; maybe I could visit within a decade.
Ad hoc, ad loc, and quid pro quo! So little time! So much to know!
3.04am
26 January 2010
Offline Im from Liverpool and its really nice to read all the positive comments on this site about the city and how much people enjoyed being there. I have been working in Brisbane Australia for six months and as lovely as it is, i can't wait to get home next month.
I always felt really lucky being able to visit the Beatles sites whenever i wanted and spending most saturday nights in Mathew St! I have walked down that street hundreds of times but i still get that buzz of being somewhere really special every time i do. You can never walk down there without having to stop to let tourists take a photo next to the John Lennon statue outside the Cavern. I always offer to take the photo so everyone can get in on it.
Its a far from perfect place but for anyone who's a big Beatles fan i'd totally recommend trying to get there. If you soak up the atmosphere, You will really feel what its was like for the boys to have grown up there
I don't work for the Liverpool tourist board by the way!! I'm just proud of the city
Onward my friends, and glory for the thirty ninth!!
