Brian Epstein statue unveiling in Liverpool city centre

A new statue honouring Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein has been unveiled in Liverpool.

The late legendary Liverpool music manager, who died 55 years ago, is depicted striding along Whitechapel towards Mathew Street to see the Beatles with a management contract in his right hand, and stands just across the road from the site of the Epstein family’s famous NEMS store.

It was from NEMS on November 9, 1961 that the 27-year-old Epstein set out to watch a band play a lunchtime session at the Cavern Club. The band was called The Beatles and in January 1962 they would go on to sign a management contract with the young entrepreneur.

Along with The Beatles, Epstein’s stable of stars included Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, The Moody Blues and The Scaffold.

Above: A plaque is installed in the pavement of Whitechapel to mark the unveiling of the Brian Epstein statue. Top: Brian Epstein, sculpted by Andy Edwards

The statue, designed by sculptor Andy Edwards – the artist responsible for the Beatles statue on the Pier Head – and cast at Castle Arts Foundry in the Baltic Quarter, has been funded by Liverpool BID Company, the Cavern Club, a generous anonymous donor and dozens of smaller donations from home and abroad via a Crowdfunding campaign.

Its unveiling coincided with International Beatleweek.

Tom Calderbank said: "On behalf of the committee which has worked so hard to achieve this goal, we would like to thank every single person and organisation who has supported us on our five-year journey.

“We’re absolutely delighted to see this finally come to fruition. We feel Brian really deserves this honour; his impact on the world of music, art and culture was - and continues to be - overwhelmingly positive, and we believe our debt to him as a city is incalculable.”