With the addition of numerous biopics in the works, The Beatles’ world-wide love affair continues. Dale Roberts, a tour guide to Liverpool, explains why celebrities still flock to the Fab Four’s hometown.
It’s been over 60 years since four lads from Liverpool released their debut single and Beatles mania swept the world.
The Beatles dominated 1960s culture with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, and their popularity is still strong even today.
Such is the popularity of the Fab Four, a multi-part biopic by Sam Mendes following the stories of all four members, which will hit theatres in 2028, has already caused a worldwide buzz before filming has even begun.
Paul Mescal, who will play Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr portrayer Barry Keoghan were spotted around the city last month as they began to get a feel for their characters’ hometown. But if Paul, Barry – and their co-stars Joseph Quinn (George Harrison) and Harris Dickinson (John Lennon) – really know how to prepare for their roles, they’ll be giving every celebrity’s favourite tour guide a call.
The Beatles had already split up when Dale Roberts was born, but that hasn’t stopped the 35-year-old from Liverpool from becoming one of the band’s biggest fans and launching an impressive career.
It’s safe to say Dale is the man to know if you want to learn more about The Beatles, from co-owner of George Harrison’s childhood home, which is now an immersive heritage Airbnb Dale runs his own business, Dale Liverpool Tours Ltd, which offers bespoke and VIP tours to clients like Liverpool FC, Comic-Con, and international travel companies.
Over the years, Dale has delivered tours to Hollywood actors, Grammy-winning musicians like Elvis Costello, WWE stars such as Mick Foley, politicians, influencers, and elite sports personalities.
“I’ve delivered tours for many famous people, and one of the craziest things is that they recommend me to others,” Dale tells us. “Ben Davis (Ant-Man, Red Dead Redemption) called me asking to do a tour for his friend — a top improv comedian who has worked with Steve Carell.
Charisma Carpenter, the author of The Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Angel Legend, has participated in numerous tours and was absolutely lovely. I had Steve Holley, a drummer for the Wings, talk to me about his time with Paul McCartney last year; Elvis Costello also did the same!
When Liverpool FC won the 2024 League Cup, about five of the players on the pitch had taken a tour with me a few months prior.
Dale, who was born and raised in Walton, has become one of Liverpool’s most well-known figures in the booming tourism sector by pursuing a career in The Beatles.
He was hired as Head of Marketing at Liverpool’s open-top bus company, Liverpool City Sights, in 2016. The business was struggling to make it to the bottom of TripAdvisor’s regional rankings. A hop-on hop-off tour with a Beatles theme shook up the city’s tour scene, and Dale helped design it.
He claims that Dale accidentally started leading in 2017 when the team was understaffed and found his calling right away. He was later recognized for his contributions to the tour, including being recognized by TripAdvisor as one of the Best in the World in 2022.
He was hired by Cavern City Tours as the marketing manager for Liverpool’s renowned Cavern Club a year after designing the tour. Additionally, he began guiding them on their renowned Magical Mystery Tour. In a first for the venue, Dale became the only guide to lead scheduled tours inside the Cavern in its history when he was invited to give scheduled “Behind the Scenes” tours in 2019.
During that time, Dale received hundreds of glowing reviews and TripAdvisor listed the Cavern Club ahead of Buckingham Palace among the world’s greatest landmarks. By late 2021, Dale had become manager of the Magical Mystery Tour — Liverpool’s longest-running Beatles bus tour. He would go on to set records for customer feedback, and in 2024, TripAdvisor ranked the tour the 8th best in the world.
“I think Liverpool should be the best tour in the world,” Dale says. Our music “changed the world because it has such a wonderful history.” You couldn’t see everything that changed the world in any other major city because it’s so easily accessible.
The city’s abundance of tours and experts is useful for the cast of the upcoming Beatles films. John, Paul, George, and Ringo have a lot of acting experience, but they are not from Liverpool. Does Dale have any advice for the cast who wants to impress the Merseysidens?
“If I could give the young actors acting one piece of advice, it would be to spend time in Liverpool, visiting the landmarks and walking the streets as the Beatles did. You have to feel this city’s attitude and sense of humor.
Liverpool made the Beatles, not The Beatles, according to the saying. We can be excited if the actors take the time to realize that they will be channeling something real on screen.
And if Paul, Barry, Harrison, and Joseph have any sense, they’ll be calling Dale to make sure they’re up to speed before the cameras start rolling, following in their celebrity contemporaries.
Source: Mirror
Leave a Reply