COMMEMORATIVE BLUE PLAQUE UNVEILED FOR BRIAN EPSTEIN

The stars were out to see the unveiling of the commemorative blue plaque for Brian Epstein.

Liverpool actor Andrew Lancel, musician Adam Ant and actress Vicki Michelle were among the many well wishers gathered to pay tribute to the Beatles manager at the old NEMS offices in London.

Andrew played Brian in Epstein - The Man Who Made The Beatles in Liverpool last year, and  now he’s set to don those smart suits again as the play opens at the Leicester Square Theatre.

 

 

Andrew said: "I'm honoured to be part of the unveiling party  and  I’m thrilled to be playing Brian in the West End.”

Brian’s company NEMS Enterprises occupied offices on the fifth floor of the building from the  height of Beatlemania in 1964 until shortly after his death in August 1967, aged just 32.

 

 

He would have turned 80 on September 19 this year, and he was recently posthumously  inducted into the USA's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The unveiling was hosted by Allo Allo actress Vicki Michelle, president of the Heritage Foundation.

   

Andrew Lancel, Adam Ant and actress Vicki Michelle she  was joined by Geoffrey Ellis, Brian’s friend who became chief executive administrator of NEMS  Enterprises Ltd, Tony Bramwell, who worked at NEMS and was later head of Apple Records, Bill  Harry, author and Mersey Beat editor who arranged for Brian to see the Beatles at The Cavern  for the first time in November 1961, Joe Flannery, Epstein's former business partner, Rod Davis  of The Quarrymen and Adam Ant, whose mother was Paul McCartney's cleaner in the  1960s.

Paul McCartney was unable to attend but sent a personal message of goodwill: “I know  Brian would have been very proud to think that he had earned a blue plaque in the West End of  London. He played a very important role in guiding the career of us Beatles and more than that  he was a lovely man whose friendship we all valued and who I will always remember with great  fondness. Congratulations Brian.”