Launched in July 2018 by Roag Best, brother of ‘fifth Beatle’ Pete Best, the Magical Beatles Museum in Mathew Street is based in a five-storey Victorian Warehouse. Tony McDonough reports

A Liverpool city museum dedicated to the Beatles is to expand in 2019, creating 20 new jobs.

Launched in July 2018 by Roag Best, brother of ‘fifth Beatle’ Pete Best, the Magical Beatles Museum in Mathew Street was boosted in November by the relocation of the Liverpool Tourist Information Centre to its building.

Having secured and renovated the five-storey Victorian Warehouse with backing from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, Road now hopes to boost visitors by at least 70% over the next 12 months and plans to open a cafe.

It is estimated the Fab Four industry is worth more than £90m a year to the city centre economy with the city council looking to transform the ‘Beatles Quarter’ further with a new masterplan.

The Magical Beatles Museum takes visitors on an interactive tour of Beatles history, with Roag’s 1,200 item personal collection telling the story each step of the way. Rare finds on display include Pete Best’s drumkit, George Harrison’s Futurama guitar and John Lennon’s Sgt. Pepper medals.

He said: “Growing up, I wasn’t aware of how famous the Beatles truly were, I just loved spending time with my four friends – John, Paul, George and Ringo. A lot of items that I’ve held on to from this period are now of huge interest to fans, and it’s great to be able to give people a unique insight into the band’s history.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest from tourists over the past six months and it’s only set to increase going forward.

“Opening the new café and bar will help us to build on this success, making sure that people can spend the full day exploring the museum and discovering the real story of how four lads from Liverpool conquered the globe.”

Samantha Murphy, relationship director at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, added: “The Beatles are a huge part of Liverpool’s history, and the newly-expanded Magical Beatles Museum will be a hub for tourists and fans who want to get the know the real story of the Fab Four.

“With interest unlikely to fade any time soon, the Magical Beatles Museum looks set to benefit and will no doubt become a must-see attraction for fans across the world.”