Handbill for the Beatles performance on 9th December
at The Palais Ballroom, Aldershot.
Liverpool Promoter, Sam Leach, had made arrangements for the engagement to be titled the Battle of the Bands, Liverpool .v. London, with the Beatles representing Liverpool and billed as Liverpool's No. 1 Band, Direct from their German Tour .v. Ivor Jay & the Jaywalkers, representing London.
Unfortunately, Sam Leach was unaware that Aldershot was nearly 40 miles from London and the idea of the Battle of the Bands attracting agents and promoters from London backfired.
Despite advertising the event locally both with handouts and in the local newspaper, the Aldershot News, it was not until the entourage arrived in Aldershot, 9 hours after their departure from Liverpool, that they found out that the newspaper ad had not appear, as Sam Leach had paid by cheque, the newspaper only accepted cash from first time advertisers, and Sam had not left any contact details.
Due to the lack of promotion, initially only 4 people turned up, after a little tour of
the town, offering free entry to the dance at the Palais, the audience was swelled to 18.
The 5/- admission fee became null and void !!
After the performance the Beatles consoled themselves by drinking Watney's brown ale and
playing football using the bingo balls they had found in the hall.
The excessive noise had annoyed a local, who contacted the police and when the Beatles
left the hall at 1pm, they were ordered out of Aldershot by the Police, and told never to
return.