Casbah Coffee Club

If you are a true Beatles fan who thinks you have done all things Beatle related in Liverpool, but haven’t visited the Casbah , then think again. At first glance this property appears rather neglected and when we visited we initially thought we had the wrong address. However this was our first stop on a four day , packed tour of Liverpool and it turned out to be the highlight of the trip. My grandchildren , aged 8 and 11, are avid Beatles fans . They thought the Casbah was the highlight of our trip. Being young and ultimately optimistic, they were convinced that visiting Liverpool meant a chance to meet at least someone with a Beatles connection , even Paul. I had read that sometimes Roag Best acted as the tour guide, so the kids were hoping to meet him. They know their Beatles history and are aware of the connection. Having seen Roag interviewed, I knew the young man who was to be our guide that day certainly wasn’t Roag, but it was Roags son Roag junior. This lovely young man was friendly , welcoming and very knowledgeable about his families past, the Casbah and the Beatles. Nothing was out of bounds. We were able to wander freely , take photos and videos and ask endless questions. We never felt rushed and were able to immerse ourselves in the history of this rather unspoilt and magical place. Neil Aspinalls grandson was our guide,wow. When this lovely young man heard we had hoped to meet his dad Roag senior, he rang his dad on FaceTime enabled my two grandchildren to speak to the man himself . A truly remarkable place, ran by passionate people who realise the importance of giving that unique connective experience to fans old and new. For the entirety of our Liverpool pilgrimage , my grandchildren were constantly on the lookout for Paul , Roag , Mike McCartney, Freda Kelly, Pete Best, Mark Lewisohn , indeed anyone who had actually known a Beatle. We missed Pauls visit to his childhood home in Forthlin Road by two days, but got to play the piano in the house . The same piano Paul played in carpool karaoke. We sang Please Please Me in Johns porch at Mendips. Despite their efforts they never bumped into Pete, Freda, Mike …….. etc , but they had actually spoken to Roag Best on FaceTime and been shown around the Casbah by his son Roag Best Jnr . Their one regret , they didn’t get his autograph. These children are fourth generation Beatles fans who are just happy to meet and talk to people with the slightest Beatle connection . I can honestly say that their visit to the Casbah was their most favourite part of our Liverpool trip. It must never be underestimated the role of the Best family in the Beatles story . True Beatles fans need to visit this truly remarkable place . Thank you Roag and Roag Jnr for this precious memory x Susan Horan and Family