The Cavern Club: the Rise of the Beatles and Merseybeat by Spencer Leigh

Author:Spencer Leigh.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857160973
Publisher: McNidder and Grace Limited

6. DO IT AGAIN

Cavern owners: Joe Davey and Alf Geoghegan, 1966–1969

Q: When did Liverpool die musically?

Bob Wooler: It went to seed in the flower power year.

(Melody Maker, 25 August 1973)

On 18 April 1966 the Cavern club was sold by the court receiver after bankruptcy proceedings. The leases on 8, 10 and 12 Mathew Street plus the very name of the club were purchased by Joe Davey of King Street, Wallasey for £5,500. The land was owned by British Rail and rather tellingly, the lease would expire in 1972.

52-year-old Joe Davey was the owner of Joe’s Café, which was open through the night and many of the groups would go there for curries and receive a 50% discount and free bread. Early in the Beatles’ career, Paul McCartney was there with a girlfriend and Joe didn’t know he was in a group. “I should get a discount on the curries,” said McCartney when he got the bill, “and you shouldn’t have charged me threepence for the bread.” I’m sure his girlfriend was well impressed.

The quality of the food was probably the best there was for three in the morning in Liverpool, which isn’t saying much. Cy Tucker, a postman by day, delivered mail to a lady in the most rundown house in the most rundown part of Liverpool. She told Tucker that she recognised him. “I don’t think so, said, Tucker. “Yes, I do,” she said, “you’re in a group and I’m the cook at Joe’s cafe.”

For the Cavern, Joe Davey brought in a partner, 57-year-old Alf Geoghegan, the man with the most inexplicable name in Liverpool. It was pronounced Gay-gan. He had done well with his butchers’ shops – admittedly, losing a couple of fingers in the process – and he had a club act as Alf, the Lightning Cartoonist. He was always asking groups to record his songs, but as they were trite moon and Juners, he found no takers. In effect, Joe and Alf were a more unlikely combination for the management of a beat club than Ray McFall and Bob Wooler.

Joe Davey announced, “We’ll be reopening it just as it was before – after we’ve finished correcting the drains.” The Health Committee refused to offer any help with the cost. The new owners gave the club a facelift without destroying the atmosphere and some poor souls did resolve the drainage for the toilets. The toilets were designated ‘Cave Girls’ and ‘Cave Men’, but despite the psychedelic times, the Emergency Exit had not been labelled ‘Way Out’. In the foyer, there was the Fame Frame.

Down the stairs, the Cavern itself was left very much as it was. A café was introduced at street level, capable of serving 200 at a time, but only with soft drinks and refreshments. No intoxicants. “That’s something we are definitely barring,” said Joe. Inspired by Carnaby Street, there was a boutique and a souvenir shop selling Cavern memorabilia. Their closed circuit TV was an innovation: you could see what was happening on stage.

In

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