How Paul McCartney was persuaded to help Leicester

www.leicestermercury.co.uk
We can work it out: how the Beatles’ Paul McCartney was persuaded to help Leicester
How canny city folk managed to get the Beatles singer to give Leicester some Help!
By Austin J Ruddy
5 FEB 2018



Ay-up – now, here’s a familiar face!

Fifty years ago this week, Beatles singer Paul McCartney was pictured at the launch of the February 1968 Leicester Arts Festival – a real coup for the city.


More curious though is how he came to be involved.

An explanation was provided by reader Lesley Hale, neé Bushell, undergraduate student at the University of Leicester at the time, who provided an insight into the organisation of the festival that year.

“Leicester Arts Festival was an annual event of huge ambition, running for two weeks in February.

“It was a town-gown affair, overseen by a committee of arts sector people from the town, city council and all the colleges.

“The festival director was elected by the University of Leicester Students’ Union and funds were raised annually by applications for grants from the Arts Council (majority funder), university Students’ Union, the university, colleges and city council.

“I was recruited to act in a production of Under Milk Wood at the Phoenix during the 1968 Arts Festival and became loosely connected to the managing group of that year.

“They arranged to launch the festival in London in order to attract the attention of the national press.

“I understand that one of them persuaded Paul McCartney to support the press conference by saying that they had attended the same school (true or not!) and also camping out on his doorstep until he agreed!

“The photo was taken at the launch at the Royal Garden Hotel, London.”



Paul McCartney helping to launch the 1968 Leicester Arts Festival in London, 6 February 1968. (photo provided by Lesley Hale, original photographer unknown)