Cavern Mecca

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The New Cavern is a local attraction on Mathew Street in Liverpool, England, which opened in 1984. The New Cavern was built as a tribute to The Cavern Club, formerly located next door, where The Beatles and numerous other rock-n-roll, skiffle, and jazz bands played, from the 1950s until the mid-1960s.

After a failed 1970s reopening, the original Cavern was demolished during construction of an underground railway. Some of its bricks were used in construction of the New Cavern, which features a precise re-creation of the old Cavern stage.

Ringo Starr highlighted a visit to the New Cavern in the 1993 TV special Ringo Starr: Going Home, and Paul McCartney performed live on its stage on December 4, 1999, to promote his album Run Devil Run.

The Cavern Mecca was the first Beatles Museum in Liverpool run by Liz and Jim Hughes.

Towards the late '70s a shop called the Magical Mystery Store was opened by fans in North John Street. This operation later moved to the first floor of 18 Mathew Street (now part of Flanagan's Apple) and called itself Cavern Mecca. Cavern Mecca became a meeting place for fans in Liverpool and for those who travelled to the City in search of Beatle landmarks. Cavern Mecca did establish a world-wide membership and the beginnings of an industry. However the period between 1973 and 1981 can best be described as the time of dedicated fans and enthusiasts.