"Last night I brought a group of people together representing local residents and businesses with some people from a wider background especially in the music business from the rest of the city.

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I want to try and use the fact that I am the first councillor for Penny Lane Ward, and will be Lord Mayor next year, to try and create a permanent Beatles legacy for the community which was their homeland in their early years. Every day, especially in summer, thousands of people go through Penny Lane but few stop. When I used to travel the world speaking at conferences all I had to ask, after being introduced as coming from Liverpool, was, “where do you think I live?,” and whether it was in communist China or capitalist America the roar came quickly back, “Penny Lane!”

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But we have consistently failed to capitalise on this game for the local community or the partner of Penny Lane Development Trust, the Granby Development Trust.

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My dream is to recognise the area as the “Beatles Homeland Quarter.” After all they lived here, went to school here and relaxed here before they hit the big time. That dream was shared by all in attendance last night and others who were unable to attend.

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Paul McCartney made his first public singing appearance at St Barnabas Church after being rejected by the Anglican Cathedral. John and Paul went to Dovedale School where there is a Yoko Ono peace garden. They went to Quarry Bank School, now Calderstones School. They played at the Church Youth Club, now the Dovedale Pub. If they could walk round the area today, they would recognise 95% of it as in many ways the area has seen little development.

We have agreed to spilt into three working groups:

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1. A physical group to look at making the area better and more attractive for visitors and residents alike.

2. A festivals group to look at the promotion of appropriately sized events.

3. A long term plan group which will look at the creation of a permanent music and community centre hopefully in the bus shelter on the roundabout currently disused but known as Sergeant Peppers.

 

We hope that the first two groups will fly off into action and make some changes for this summer. The long-term group will involve the development of a business plan and some hefty fund raising. The three working groups will meet within a fortnight, and we will meet as a full group in about 4 weeks to try and merge the three groups to try and establish a programme and kick things off for summer 2024.

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Do you want to help our work? If you live in the area, have a business in the area, love the area or live the Beatles there are things that you ought to can do to help us.

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All of us who were there last night came away inspired by the ability of the group and manifest desire to make our dream come true.

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Get in touch with me at richardkemp68@yahoo.co.uk or ring me on 07885 626913 and I’ll link you to the appropriate group and ensure you are invited to meetings.

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