Writer calls for plaques at Fab Four’s Welsh venues

Sep 10 2007 by Haydon Wood, Liverpool Daily Post

OVER the years, the music of the Beatles has given so many people pleasure and for others the band have become a passion.

So when rock and pop writer Elly Roberts was invited to take part in a programme with Spencer Leigh, BBC Radio Merseyside’s own musical doyen and walking pop encyclopaedia, he was delighted to find himself seated next to Ray O’Brien, of Cavern Club fame.

“It was the spur for me to start a campaign to erect plaques all around North Wales where the Beatles played in the early 1960s,” said the Wrexham-based fan.

His first project was to have a plaque placed at the former Assembly Rooms, in Mold, where the band appeared in January, 1963.

“My friend, Tony Booth, designs the plaques and we were keen to put it on the building which is now listed but the council wouldn’t give us permission,” added Elly.

“But we had heard that The Beatles had called into the nearby pub, Y Penton, for a drink after the gig so we managed to place it there.”

He next shifted his focus to Rhyl where the band had once played at the Regent Dancette, which is now a storeroom over a Burton’s shop on the High Street.

His real coup, though, was in persuading old Merseybeat hand Joe Flannery to officially unveil a plaque in Prestatyn at the Nova Centre, which had originally been called the Royal Lido Ballroom. “Joe has been a great supporter of my plan to erect plaques at every venue, as has Bill Harry – one-time Mersey Beat newspaper editor – and the presenters on Radio Caroline,” said Elly, who admits this has become a great passion for him.

His next target – and the most ambitious – is to erect a plaque in Cardiff where the Fab Four played the last concert on their last ever UK tour on Sunday, December 12, 1965.

“I contacted Paul McCartney’s office but they never replied,” said Elly who then met Paul at a record signing.

“I was wearing a T-shirt with a motif of the plaque. Paul said he had forgotten all about that show but after being reminded, remembered it well,” added Elly, who is also hoping to find a sponsor for another plaque at Abergavenny.

“I am trying to track down Victor Spinetti, who appeared in three Beatles films, to support that one,” said Elly.