The Beatles live: Aintree Institute, Liverpool

This was the final performance given by The Beatles at Aintree Institute, which was situated at Longmoor Lane in Aintree, Liverpool.

The event was promoted by Brian Kelly for his Beekay Promotions. This was also the last time The Beatles played at one of his events. After the show Kelly paid the group’s £15 fee in loose change, which angered their manager Brian Epstein. He saw fit to mention it in his 1964 autobiography, and never allowed The Beatles to play at a Beekay event again.

On one occasion I recall being paid in coins – £15 in sixpences and florins and even half-pennies and I kicked up an awful fuss, not because £15 isn’t £15 in any currency, but because I thought it was disrespectful to the Beatles. I felt that if one was to be a manager then one should fight for absolute courtesy towards one’s artistes.

I didn’t get the £15 in notes, by the way, but I had made my point and I and the Beatles felt far better for it.

The Beatles played at Aintree Institute on 31 occasions, between January 1961 and January 1962. The other dates were 7, 13, 14, 18, 21, 27 and 28 January; 8, 10, 15, 18, 22 and 25 February; 1, 4, 8 and 11 March; 21 and 28 July; 4, 12, 18, 19 and 26 August; 2, 9, 16 and 23 September; 28 October; and 11 November 1961.

Aintree Institute was a popular jive club in the early 1960s. It was situated behind the Black Bull club, near to the famous racecourse where the annual Grand National horse race takes place, but was demolished in 2007.