Meet Paul - the Exeter man who bought The Beatles fish and chips from Heavitree Road

Not many people can say they bought The Beatles supper from a chippy on Heavitree Road, before learning a powerful life lesson from John Lennon. But Exeter rocker Paul Walters, 66, can. 

Paul, managing director of Guildhall Shopping Centre's Gourmet Kitchens and Velvet Touch guitarist, has shared memories of his jaw dropping backstage meeting with the Fab Four. 

It follows this month's anniversary of a sell-out 1963 gig at the city's now demolished ABC Cinema. The encounter between his 15-year-old self and Liverpool's finest at their second ABC gig, in 1964, was not by chance alone. Paul's father, Ken, owned a popular hairdresser which, he claims, was the first business to set up shop in the original Princesshay shopping centre, and the last to leave. A regular customer of his father Ken was Bob Parker, boss of the ABC, who was looking for people to police the second Beatles gig at the city centre venue. 

Paul didn't have to be asked twice, already a huge fan at the time. Paul remembered: "The Beatles were late to the gig because they were watching a Liverpool FC game on telly at the Rougemont Hotel; they were in high spirits following a victory. "As part of the job I ended up getting them supper. "When getting fish and chips from a takeaway on Heavitree Road, opposite Pyramids, he told the woman behind the counter "she would not believe who they were for." On his return he managed to stick around back stage with his guitar, which he had recently began to learn how to play.

By: Alex Richards

Source: Exeter Express and Echo

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