Two men have been attributed as “pioneers” of Liverpool’s Beatles tourism industry.
Bill Heckle, Managing Director of Cavern City Tours, and Dave Jones, its President, were made Citizens of Honour at a special ceremony at Liverpool Town Hall on Thursday, August 11.
Bill trained to be a Beatles guide in 1982, and after forming the company in 1986, he was joined by Dave that year when they organised their first Beatles Convention.
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In 1991, the pair launched both The Magical Mystery Tour and became owners of the renowned Cavern Club. Bill and Dave transformed the closed building into a popular tourist attraction and music venue that would go on to host the likes of Adele, Oasis, the Arctic Monkeys, and Sir Paul McCartney.
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Over the years, their Beatles Convention began to develop and in 1993 became the Matthew Street Musical Festival which eventually became Europe’s largest annual free event, drawing over 3,000 people to Liverpool every August.
One of their most admirable achievements is without a doubt their organisation of the Hillsborough Justice Concert at Anfield Stadium in 1997. This event helped raise more than £500,000 to pay for the legal costs for the bereaved families of those who were killed in the 1989 football tragedy.
They later acquired the historic building in North John Street which became the Hard Days Night Hotel, a Beatles-inspired hotel in the city centre. Although they are no longer the owners of the hotel, it continues to welcome guests to this day.
In 2015, Bill and Dave gifted a statue of The Beatles to the city of Liverpool in celebration of The Cavern Club’s 40th anniversary. The figures of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr now stand on the Albert Docks waterfront and have become one of the most iconic and most photographed landmarks in England.
According to Liverpool City Council, Beatles-related tourism is estimated to be worth £100m and attracts 600,000 visitors each year.
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool said: “Liverpool’s tourism industry owes a huge debt of thanks to Bill Heckle and Dave Jones. They had the vision to recognise the potential of the city’s unrivalled musical heritage in attracting visitors and their legacy is all around us every day of the year.”
In response to the news of the recognition of his work, Dave said: “When Bill Heckle and I first started working together our aims and objectives were simply based on our belief and passion in Liverpool.
“We set out to promote the city’s unique musical heritage and introduce the media, the tourism industry, and visitors to the spirit of Liverpool, enhance their experience and give them something no other city in the world could.”
He added: “Our success over the past 35 years has been driven by vision and taking every opportunity we have been given to develop Liverpool’s Beatles industry
“We never set out to receive awards and accolades. To be nominated for Citizen of Honour awards is amazing. We feel a huge sense of pride and emotion that our work has received this level of recognition.”
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