60th anniversary of 'momentous' Beatles gig in Sheffield suburb to be commemorated

The Co-op, on White Lane at Gleadless Town End, is organising a blue plaque and a display of photos about the momentous gig on April 2 1963.

The site was the Azena Ballroom and the event - called The Beatles Show - was to promote the Fab Four’s first album, Please Please Me. It was organised by legendary Sheffield nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow who had to move it to the Azena from a smaller venue due to demand for tickets.

Now Co-op worker Dennis Hanna is appealing for help with the project.

He said: “It would be fantastic if we could get the story into The Star, as I'm sure many older people were there. At the time, my parents lived on Charnock Avenue, and as a little boy of four years old, I sat with my friends on the wall at the back of the Azena listening to the Beatles and watching the hysteria. We are going to commemorate this momentous occasion with a blue plaque and/or a photographic display of photos taken on the night.

“I'm sure it would be nice to commemorate this great occasion, which is now of historical importance and would be of interest to many local people.”

The Beatles played Sheffield a total of seven times in 1963 and 64 including at the City Hall and the Gaumont Theatre on Barker’s Pool.

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