Yare Beat Projects

10/09/2026

It's Heritage Open Day season yet again, and at St. George's Theatre on Wednesday September 16th comes the follow-up to last year's talk, 'Yare! Yare! Yare! When John, Paul, George and Ringo Came to Great Yarmouth.'

Tickets are free and now available for 'Yare Beat. When Great Yarmouth Made Rock and Pop History.'

06/06/2026

Not so positive news coming from the Ocean Room... still closed for business:

A report has warned that repairs to one of Norfolk's landmark venues may be "financially unviable".

24/03/2026

Great Yarmouth.. 1962:

13/03/2026

The Great Yarmouth area played its part in the history of popular music, immortalised in song and also on film.

And, did you know about the influential stars from popular music’s past with family links to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston?

This and more will be the subject of:

Yare Beat – When Great Yarmouth Was Making Pop & Rock History.

This is the follow-up to last year's popular live-talk at St. George's Theatre, 'The Beatles. Yare! Yare! Yare! When John, Paul, George and Ringo came to Gt. Yarmouth.'

Travel back to the Golden Era of the 1960s to the early '80s, when Great Yarmouth played host to the biggest Rock and Pop stars including The Rolling Stones, Cream, The Shadows, Billy Fury, The Pink Floyd, Genesis, The Specials, and so many more.

There’ll be anecdotes and memories, video footage, and historic milestones that were in the making.

11/03/2026

https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/25922645.bench-unveiled-former-gorleston-dj-entrepreneur/

A new memorial bench has been unveiled to remember Richard Routledge, a much-loved former entertainer and entrepreneur in Gorleston.

07/03/2026

Here's a little video of memories back to the 1960s and '70s courtesy of 'Creative Horizons East - C.I.C.' Recollections of popular stage-shows in Great Yarmouth including famous contemporary music-acts of the time, both nationally (and internationally), and local bands too.

'Great Yarmouth - The People's History' is a Heritage Lottery funded project, and we are grateful to National Lottery players who have helped it happen.

01/01/2026

First new article for 2026, courtesy of Yare Beat:

Jay and Joe
When Peter Jay worked with Joe Meek
https://yarebeatprojects.substack.com/p/jay-and-joe

20/11/2025

A new book from Paul McCartney takes the reader on a journey through his post-Beatles years with his band Wings, it’s told through first-hand accounts from family, friends, old associates, and the man himself, and features an appearance from a slow-moving yet colourful participant with very close links to Great Yarmouth.

A new book from Paul McCartney takes the reader on a journey through his post-Beatles years with his band Wings, it’s told through first-hand accounts from family, friends, old associates, and the man himself, and features an appearance from a slow-moving yet colourful participant with very close ...

29/09/2025

Anyone who knows me well will know I'm a bit of a Beatles nut - since childhood. In more recent years, I've been holding live talks in Great Yarmouth about The Beatles' two visits to the town, the most recent talk was at St George's Theatre a couple of weeks ago ('Yare! Yare! Yare! When John, Paul, George and Ringo came to Gt. Yarmouth').

There's much more to this piece of history than merely "they came to Yarmouth in 1963." There is a big backstory attached to it as well many accounts and memories about what is said to have happened when they actually arrived in the town - enough material for a book!

However, there are a couple of episodes during their time in Great Yarmouth that I'm most keen to get some confirmation on:
One of them being, did the Beatles - and their manager, Brian Epstein - go to a house-party held for them after one of their shows at a bungalow on Jellicoe Road (by Crosstead)? It's claimed to have been held by the ABC Theatre's then-manager, Pat Shandley.

Please, if anyone has any information about this, or a point of contact towards anyone who knows more or was connected to this said 'party,' then please do let me know. As I pointed out... there's a book in the making here!

Thank you.

Regards,
Matt Sergiou.