Liverpool Pub Crawl - The Jacaranda

 

 

Not the biggest venue by any means on the local scene but The Jacaranda, at 21-23 Slater Street, is memorable for being the first place that the young lads who were to become the biggest band in the world cemented their musical friendship.
Founded in 1957 when Allan Williams leased what was then Owens Watch Repair Shop at 23 Slater Street, he then converted it into a coffee bar which he opened in September the following year. The Jacaranda is named after an exotic species of ornamental flowering tree and became well known for its love of grassroots music and, back in the 1950s, provided local teenagers with an environment to hear modern, American-influenced music and to socialise without the watchful eyes of parents or schoolteachers. With a new 'innovation' of the time, an Italian espresso machine, along with a jukebox and live performances, it also provided a popular, cool and colourful atmosphere. It was at the Jacaranda that John Lennon wrote one of his earliest songs, 'One After 909', and it was here that Ringo Starr, then a member of a far more successful Liverpool group, 'Rory Storm and the Hurricanes', popped his head in one day to hear Stuart Sutcliffe being given tuition by the others on how to play the bass. This would be the first time he heard the band that he would eventually join. In 2006, The Jacaranda was awarded a Pubs in Time plaque by CAMRA for its role in the formative years of the Beatles.
On the 31st of October, 2011, the bar on Slater Street went into liquidation but re-opened in 2014 after a re-vamp which saw a live music venue downstairs and a record shop upstairs. The plan was that it would function as a coffee shop and record store during the day, becoming a bar and events space at night. Managing director Graham Stanley explained: "This has been a long time in the pipeline. When we closed Jacaranda three years ago it wasn't taking in money and it was a hard decision to make. We all put our minds to what we might do with the space and to get inspiration we looked back at our 60 year history. We're so excited to be taking the Jacaranda back to where it started. It’s such an iconic venue. Everyone has a memory of it, whether it's the 1950s coffee shop era or the days where The Beatles played downstairs, or the 90s scene where it was packed with a completely different generation of musicians."

 

Today, The Jacaranda is a real gem on the scene and is like no other place in Liverpool as it hosts live performances, indie and rock 'n' roll sets, and open-mic nights.

The club’s décor is fresh with a vintage charm and here you might still glimpse some of John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe’s original murals in the basement, painted as payment for use of the rehearsal space. There's a ground floor bar with both hot and cold drinks, from a strong cup of tea to fancy cocktails, while the basement is a space for live performance. Over the years it has expanded to include a second floor which houses Jacaranda Records, a record store and vinyl café and today it is not only a bar but also a cultural hub, embodying Liverpool’s independent spirit while attracting music fans who want to experience a slice of the city’s rich musical history.

 

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2026/04/liverpool-pub-crawl-bridewell.html