The
Beatles at Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool
Here I am outside the Adelphi
Hotel in Liverpool where lots of Beatles events are held. The Beatles came here
on 10th July 1964 for a civic reception and for the northern
premiere of their first feature film A Hard Day’s Night. Beatlemania was at its height in 1964 and the lads had been
away. They flew into old Speke airport and were greeted by 200,000 fans.
Another 20,000 fans gathered outside Liverpool town hall to catch a glimpse of
them. Police had to hold back fans, some people fainted (see footage links
below.) They were making lots of money and had moved to London and were
privately worried about their reception when they came back to Liverpool. Would
the fans forgive them? The crowds eliminated any concerns.
This huge hotel opened in 1926 to cater for
the arrivals and departures of wealthy ocean liner passengers. Of the 402 bedrooms one is called The Sefton Suite and is a replica of the first-class smoking
lounge of the ill-fated Titanic. There were heated
tanks in the basement to hold live turtles for turtle soup. Allegedly a
16-year-old Adolf Hitler worked in the kitchens while staying in the city with
his brother. Hollywood star Roy Rogers – a silver screen cowboy hero –
stayed here in 1954 and even brought his famous horse Trigger with him. He took
it up the stairs to the first floor balcony to be presented to the adoring fans
below (oddly I couldn't find a photo.) The “real James Bond” - a spy called
Sidney Reilly - also reportedly stayed here and he was thought to be Ian Fleming’s inspiration for
James Bond.
I visited just before Christmas 2019 when
the trees were bare and weren't blocking the view of the front facade. The
place was buzzing and I struggled to get a decent photograph of the hotel's
frontage. A lad who was in a group took a photograph of me but it was blurry.
Make no wonder as the lads were smoking something odd. "What you smoking
there, dude," I said, "It smells like charred camel dung." He
said it tasted like it too and did I was a taste? He presented his joint with
lots of slaver on it but I declined.
Bit of footage here:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eefaHWpquoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Diyy4SYFE
The lads at Speke airport...
Fans on Speke Road...
