There are several references to The Iron Door Club in Paul Du Noyer's intriguing book, "Liverpool, Wonderous Place - From Cavern To Cream." In his characterization of the "Beat City", Du Noyer offers the following comments with regard to Temple Street's most famous cellar club.

"For the upper echelon there were prestige central venues, primarily the Cavern, the Mardi Gras and, in nearby Temple Street, the Iron Door. The latter, like the Cavern, had first emerged as a jazz hang-out but eventually surrendered to rock'n'roll. One legend says it acquired its iron door after the wooden one got smashed in by axe-wielders chasing Derry Wilkie. Meanwhile the elite of the scene, Beatles included, could assemble after hours At Allan Williams' upmarket Blue Angel club in Seel Street - attractions ran to topless waitresses and live fights with baby bulls, and distinguished guests included Bob Dylan and Judy Garland."

This brief passage makes for most interesting reading, however, a thorough research of those present at the Iron Door Club reveals a slightly different story. To begin, while the image of a "swash-buckling" Derry Wilkie has all the romance of a pirate ship sailing in haste on the high tide, there appears to be no evidence of "axe-wielders" during the days of the Iron Door. Geoff Hogarth, an owner and manager, describes the story as "rubbish" and reminds the interested historian that the club got its name from an existing iron door at the entrance to the warehouse.

Further, based on interviews with a number of patrons who attended the Iron Door in the 1960s, while indeed a central venue, it was not considered by most to be "prestigous" or reserved for the "upper echelon." All were welcome at the Iron Door which was not a pretentious establishment that stood on ceremony.

So the Iron Door was iron from the beginning and unlike the "legend of the axe-wielders" its place Liverpool's history is cast forever.