Allan Williams, the original manager of The Beatles, has died.
The 86-year-old original owner of Liverpool’s Jacaranda Club, where The Beatles played a number of their first gigs, has passed away at the age of 86.
A message on the club’s Twitter account read: "Today our founder and the man who discovered the Beatles passed away. Allan Williams, you will be missed."
And a post on the club’s Facebook page added: "Today is one of the saddest days in our history.
"The Jacaranda’s original owner and the man who discovered The Beatles, Allan Williams, has sadly passed away at the age of 86. All of our thoughts and wishes go to his family and his wife Beryl.
"His legacy has allowed us to remain at the heart of the Liverpool music scene for almost 60 years and his memory will live on through every band that plays our famous stage.
"Allan, you will be missed."
Allan worked with original members of The Beatles – Sir Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe – from 1960 to 1961.
Speaking in 2010, he said: "I was just glad to have been there in the 60s, at the start of it all.
"I’ve always been proud of The Beatles and proud and happy to have been just a small cog in the wheel of the most famous group in the world.
"A lot of people have told me ‘I would have loved to have been there’ and it was a lot of fun – but we didn’t know we were making history.
"It was such a good time, though, and I’ve got no regrets – they were exciting days. But no-one knew The Beatles would go on to achieve what they did."
Original Beatles manager dead at 86
