Beatlemania and Swinging Sixties set for reprise with special show in Mansfield

And 60 years on, Beatlemania is set for a reprise – a special show has been organised to celebrate the milestone anniversary of The Beatles playing gigs in Mansfield.

The Swinging Sixties hadn’t quite taken the country by storm yet, and the Fab Four were just plain scallies John, Paul, George and Ringo.

But it is a fact that The Beatles came to Mansfield twice in 1963 for concerts at the renowned Granada on West Gate, en route to becoming the most influential band in pop music history.

Incredibly, they weren’t even the headline act. They supported chart-topping pop star Helen Shapiro on the first occasion on Saturday, February 23, and then backed singers Tommy Roe and Chris Montez on Tuesday, March 26.

But by their second appearance, The Beatles’ first major hit, Please Please Me, had just hit number two in the charts and they were promoted to the top of the bill for the rest of their UK tour.

Now, a celebratory event, ‘It Was 60 Years Ago Today’, is to be staged at the Forest Town Arena on Sunday, March 26. with tribute band, Hey Beatles, the main attraction.

The show is the brainchild of well-known Mansfield 103.2 presenter Ian ‘Watko’ Watkins. He runs the website, thegranadamansfield.co.uk, which preserves memories of the once-iconic luxury cinema and music venue.

Coincidentally, this year also represents the 50th anniversary of the closure of the Granada in 1973.

Ian, who presents the 1-6pm afternoon show on Mansfield 103.2, says: “When I was growing up, I was a big Beatles fan.

"My dad, David, who is now in his late 70s and still lives in Mansfield, used to tell me that they once played Mansfield, but I always thought, ‘don’t be silly’.

"Then, about 15 years ago, I went to Liverpool with a friend and visited the Beatles Museum. We saw a list of all their tour dates, and there was Mansfield! My dad actually went to both of the original concerts.

"After that, I thought it would be cool to arrange a 50th anniversary gig, which we did 10 years ago. It was at St Peter’s Centre in Mansfield and also featured Hey Beatles.

"It worked really well and everyone had a great time, so I have decided to organise another one for the 60th anniversary. The 2013 one was on the same date as the first gig, February 23, so this one has to be on March 26.”

The concert will be a non-profit event, but Ian, aged 44, is hoping to stir our love for nostalgia by replicating as much as possible from 60 years ago.

He is planning to invite people who worked at the Granada at the time and has even had tickets printed by the same company, Wilsons of Newark, that the Granada used back in 1963.

“They will be limited-edition, souvenir-type tickets for a show I hope will be a nice thing for the community,” Ian says.

"Forest Town Arena is very reminiscent of the venues The Beatles used to play before they got on the big circuit.

“This show happens at the start of BST – Beatles Summer Time! – and it will be a great evening of entertainment and stories.

“Alongside Hey Beatles, we will have a support line-up, with local singer Ollie Hayes, whose set will include hits The Beatles played 60 years ago and also hits from other stars who appeared at the Granada, such as Del Shannon and Billy Fury.

“And the Granada’s last organist, local man Alan Wilson, will also be there, playing some tunes on his personal organ to try and recreate the vibe of the original concert.

“There will be some surprises too. It’s just great to celebrate this local connection.”

As well as Ian’s dad, Worksop schoolgirl Pamela Timson, then aged 12, was also among the 100 or so people at the March 1963 concert.

She waited outside the stage door of the Granada, hoping to grab the autographs of her idols. As the crowds gathered, she thrust her autograph book in the air and was delighted when it was taken and later returned with the signatures of all four Beatles.

Three years ago, just before her 70th birthday, Pamela sold the autographs at Hansons Auctioneers in Nottingham, and they fetched £3,400.

“They hadn’t even had a number one hit at the time,” recalls Pamela. “But as their success grew, I realised I was the owner of something very special. I was so lucky to be a teenager at that time.”

Pamela’s story is just one of the many fond memories people from north Nottinghamshire have about the Granada.

It opened in 1930 as a cinema and was known as the Plaza before changing its name. In the 1960s, it played host to blockbusting concerts by the pop and rock stars of the day, including even The Rolling Stones and Cliff Richard.

Sadly, as Granada changed its focus to bingo, its popularity declined. The venue closed on May 26, 1973 and was demolished soon afterwards. The site was later home to a Littlewoods store and is now the location of Primark.

To mark the 50th anniversary of its closure, Ian is staging a mini-exhibition, to be held at Mansfield Museum for two months, beginning on Saturday, April 1.

The event will feature information, photographs and memorabilia, plus a specially-commissioned model of the Granada building, made by Lee Robinson, of award-winning Huddersfield company LNR Models.

The exhibition is free, while tickets for the Beatles anniversary show cost £12.50. They can be bought from the Forest Town Arena or from Ian by calling 07496 082227.

To paraphrase one of The Beatles’ record-breaking 17 number one hits in the UK, don’t miss out on your ticket to ride...