British Beatles Fan Club

The British Beatles Fan Club (BBFC) is run by fans for fans. We currently have over 800 members and bring together Beatles enthusiasts from the UK and across the world. We publish a highly esteemed quarterly magazine and organise Beatles related events in the London and Liverpool areas and across the UK, including monthly get-togethers in London. For those who can't make it to the meetings we have an on-line chat group for keeping up to date with the latest news and in touch with other fans.

The BBFC magazine is a glossy, full colour, 40 page publication which comes out 4 times a year. It is packed with fascinating and thoroughly researched articles on all aspects of the Fab Four past and present. We give you an insight into the Beatles' career and their associates in Liverpool, London and throughout the world.

Our correspondents include Pete Nash - former News Editor of The Beatles Book Monthly, Rod Davis of the original Quarrymen, Bill Harry - former Editor of Merseybeat, Stan Williams - former pupil of Dovedale Primary alongside John Lennon and George Harrison, David Bedford - Our Man in Liddypool, Andy Davis - former Editor of Record Collector magazine, Craig Smith, Lucy Carter, Peter Black and Ernie Sutton.

Among the regular features are:

Upcoming Events - organised by the club and anything else relating to the Beatles, including festivals, Beatles Days, concerts and conventions throughout the world
Beatles 2008 - A day-by-day diary
Media Watch
Reviews of the latest releases
Classified Ads
Twist & Shout by Bill Harry
Letters from members
The Legendary Crap Photos of the Month

Plus:

Comprehensive feature articles on every Beatle subject imaginable!
High quality colour and black & white Beatles photos throughout the magazine!

If you would like to advertise in our magazine, please contact the treasurer for further details, prices and any special offers.

Latest BBFC News

Thursday 26th June 2008

A Lost Beatles Interview, previously unheard outside of Scotland, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 1.30pm on Tuesday 1st July.

Sixties star Helen Shapiro presents the story of a lost TV interview with the Beatles that was recorded in April 1964 and recently found languishing in a rusty film can in a garage in South London. Experts say it's the earliest surviving interview where Lennon and McCartney talk about how they met and discuss the song writing process. With contributions from the original TV interviewer Paul Young - who had never seen the footage, which was part of a regional television programme broadcast only in Scotland - Beatles expert and writer Mark Lewisohn and Dick Fiddy of the BFI.

You can listen to the broadcast online through BBC iPlayer

Sunday 22nd June 2008

The next London Beatles Day of the year takes place on Sunday 13th July 2008 at the usual venue -- the Park Inn (formerly known as the Bonnington Hotel), Southampton Row, WC1. You will find thousands of Beatles items for sale at prices to suit every pocket!

The London Beatles Day was founded in 1990 by Steve Holmes, Rob Batchelor, Keith Badman and Jason Hobbs who between them have attended many conventions and fairs all over Europe and beyond! The London Beatles Day has been attracting Beatles fans from all over the globe ever since, originally 2 shows a year were staged but due to increased demand this was increased to the current 4 shows per year. This enables fab 4 fans to come along and buy and trade their Fabs items on a regular basis keeping their collections updated, and of course to come along to meet all the other fans & collectors in the comfort of the recently refurbished Park Inn.

Visit our events page to find out about more Beatles events in London, Liverpool and around the UK

Saturday 7th June 2008

We're thrilled to report that the British Beatles Fan Club came top of Fab4Radio.com's poll to find your favourite Beatles fanzine, leading with a massive 89% of the vote. It's always lovely to receive some recognition and we'd like to thank everybody who voted for us -- it really means a lot.

Speaking of polls, the BBFC have been contacted by Glenn Cooper, former Head of Digital at Island Records UK. Glenn has recently launched a website to invite the public to vote for their Top 5 albums (and films and books) in an evolving poll to find the Greatest Albums, etc. of all time -- pollthepeople.com. The site was borne out of frustration at the number of TV and press polls based on very little research or the opinions of a few journalists. So now the people have a chance to be heard and vote for their favourite albums (and films and books) to create a truly definitive global poll.

Why not visit pollthepeople.com and make sure the Beatles' albums get their rightful place!

Friday 23rd May 2008

One of the show gardens at this year's Chelsea Flower Show is called From Life to Life: A garden for George. It was designed by Olivia Harrison and Yvonne Innes and was inspired by the life of George Harrison, who not only gained international fame from his time in The Beatles, but was a dedicated and inspired landscape gardener.

The garden is divided into four areas to represent George's life story -- his boyhood years in Liverpool, the 60s, George's mature gardening years and his spiritual life -- linked together by a path, which changes in colour and texture as you progress along it.

The BBC are holding a vote to find the readers' favourite garden in the BBC RHS Peoples' Award 2008 and the Life to Life garden has got through to the shortlist of four finalists. The winner will be announced Saturday evening UK time.

Visit the BBC Chelsea Flower Show website now and cast your vote for From Life to Life, A garden for George

Wednesday 21st May 2008

Fab4Radio.com (The Global Beatle Network) is a fabulous 24/7 online radio station geared to the serious Beatle appreciator. Playing songs by artists that influenced the Beatles -- Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Eddie Cochrane and many more, as well as all the bands The Beatles have affected -- ELO, Elvis Costello, Badfinger and plenty more. Add to that some interviews, some novelty songs and it all sounds pretty good.

Fab4Radio are running a vote on their site to find the world's Favorite Beatles Fanzine. The British Beatles Fan Club are currently in the lead but there are still 11 days to go -- so pay them a visit and vote for us -- we'd love to come top of the pops.

Visit Fab4Radio.com and vote for us now!

Friday 16th May 2008

Paul McCartney's latest studio album, Memory Almost Full will be appearing as a free give-away with the UK newspaper Mail On Sunday this weekend, 18th May 2008.

The album was originally released last year on the Starbucks Entertainment/Concord Music Group-owned Hear Music label, where it sold 100,000 copies in the UK, reaching number five in the album chart. The Mail On Sunday hopes to repeat the sales success it received when it gave away Prince's album Planet Earth last July. This generated an extra 600,000 sales of the paper.

Friday 25th April 2008

Today it has been announced that 10th July 2008 will be officially rechristened as the first ever Beatles Day, 24 hours when the people of Liverpool will show their love for the Fab Four and raise money for the Alder Hey Imagine appeal and Liverpool Unites.

Over 20,000 specially-made Beatles-style mop-top wigs will be sold around Merseyside in the days leading up to 10th July, a day of celebrations all over the region. The climax will come in the shape of Imagine - the concert at the Summer Pops - an extravaganza at the Arena in which top UK stars perform best loved Beatles songs chosen by the public from voting lines on radio/TV.

Find out more about Beatles Day by reading on...

Tuesday 22nd April 2008

We can't believe that this is a real competition, but the Arts Council England has nominated Liverpool and Manchester to represent the north-west of England in the competition for the prestigious title of the country's Most Musical City.

Only one scene has ever changed the world - Merseybeat. The post-austerity Britain of the 60s is heralded as a golden age when skirts got shorter, love got free-er and the world danced to Britain's beat. At the centre of the world was Liverpool and four mop-topped Scousers who had emerged from the Cavern Club to change music for ever. Yet, the reason why you should vote Liverpool the Most Musical City is about more than just John, Paul, George and Ringo.

To find out more and to vote (for Liverpool!) visit mostmusicalcity.co.uk now!

Monday 21st April 2008

David Bedford writes: If you want to know about the history of Liverpool there is a Time Team special on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight where they discover a couple of docks off the Mersey, including the very first wet dock in the world and why Liverpool became the most important port in the world.

That diversity brought many nations to Liverpool, especially close ties with a German port called Hamburg, and from these docks came different forms of music which influenced the whole city and the Fabs of course. Don't miss it!

Sunday 30th March 2008

We at the Britsih Beatles Fan Club were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Neil Aspinall last week. Neil was a friend to The Beatles and their families in the true sense of the word, being with them from their early days until very recently.

It was Neil who salvaged much of the footage when The Beatles broke up, that later came to fruition in the Anthology, and whilst Neil must have known much of what went on in those Beatlemania days and beyond, he always maintained a dignified silence, showing his true value as a friend.

Read our collection of thoughts and tributes to Neil by BBFC members

Saturday 29th March 2008

Issue 28 of the British Beatles Fan Club magazine is now on sale and has been posted out to our members.

It features a review of Ringo's visit to Liverpool for the opening of the European Capital of Culture 2008 and a look a the lyrics to his single Liverpool 8.

There's also a feature by Ernie Sutton on the Beatles in Croydon, and a five-page interview with Ken Mansfield, author of The White Book and the former U.S. manager of Apple Records.

View full contents or visit our shop to buy your copy now

Friday 28th March 2008

Lynne Varcoe was the auxiliary nurse who cared for John Lennon's Aunt Mimi in her final years, between 1991-1992. Ernie Sutton of the British Beatles Fan Club speaks to her here about her time caring for Mimi.

Read Ernie Sutton's interview with Lynn Varcoe

Thursday 27th March 2008

SUPERSUPER is one of the fastest growing and most hotly tipped youth media companies in Europe, unique in being the only title speaking to style conscious 16-24 year-olds. Sir Paul McCartney is collaborating with SUPERSUPER Magazine on a special one-off 6 page feature of original drawings especially created for the magazine, giving a rare insight into the artistic and creative mind of one of the greatest musical masterminds of the 21st century. This is the first time Sir Paul has done anything like this and we hope you're as excited with the feature as we are.

To pre-order this issue for delivery by Monday 7th April and be the first to get your hands on one for just £3.99 plus P+P, visit the supersuperstore

Thursday 21st February 2008

[Instamatic Karma - Photographs of John Lennon]

Instamatic Karma, a much anticipated new book of wonderful photos by May Pang will be released on 6th March 2008. It is full of never-before-seen shots depicting a relaxed and playful John Lennon -- eating Chinese food at their East 52nd Street apartment, swimming in Long Island, spending Christmas and a trip to Disneyland with son Julian and hanging out with Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney.

Pang's images span color and black & white, prints and more candid Polaroids, and paint a nimble, effortless and innocent portrait of both a romance and a fascinating time in John Lennon's life.

The British Beatles Fan Club have one first edition hard cover copy of this great book to give away.

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'I have really enjoyed reading your fan club magazines and I am proud to wear the fan club pin' - Terje Solbakken, Norway.

Join the British Beatles Fan Club!

'I spent a wonderful year reading your magazine, which I find very interesting and I hope you'll carry on the good job.' - Dimitris Tacticos, Greece.

'Thanks for the badge and membership card. I wear the badge on my school uniform blazer, which is breaking the school dress code slightly as badges aren't allowed. I don't think the teachers mind much though as it's a band they like as well!' - Roisin Mulligan, age 15.