Sytner finds premises

[13_temple_street]

Young Alan Sytner a Liverpool Doctors son was roaming in Liverpool’s city centre he turned into Mathew Street a narrow street with motley of businesses mainly fruit wholesalers. Suddenly he jerked his head to concentrate on an Estate agent's information board ‘Basement to Let’. The basement comprised of a small group of cellars beneath a seven-storey warehouse during WW2 the basement was used as an Air raid shelter, and more recently the basement was used to store wines and spirits.
Sytner was a jazz enthusiast he promoted jazz two nights per week at The Temple Bar and Restaurant situated on Temple Lane off Dale Street. In addition, he recently started to encourage jazz at a large house on Croxteth Road he christened this venture The 21 Club. The experience of visiting the Paris Jazz Club and the powerful feeling from the atmosphere of the caves was constantly on his mind. He immediately contacted the Estate Agent and signed the lease. Help from his friends boosted his chance for an early opening date; Alan Sytner officially opened the Cavern on 16th January 1957. Topping the bill was a local jazz band The Merseysippi Jazz Band. Advertisements placed in the Liverpool Echo attracted a potential 1,000 future members, but only 600 were allowed to enter. Initially, the club opened at the weekends only promoting Traditional Jazz. Skiffle music was presented each Wednesday. Modern jazz each Thursday.
In 1959 Sytner decided to marry his long-time girlfriend and moved to London to manage the famous jazz-orientated Marque Club, leaving the running of the Cavern to his Doctor father. Financially the club was not faring too well. Sytner’s father was a medical doctor; Sytner subjected his father to an almost impossible situation, expecting the good doctor to operate his surgery, situated off Scotland Road, and to nip into Mathew Street to supervise the activities in the Cavern. The Sytner family used the services of a young self-employed auditor; he audited all the surgery accounts. Alan initially used him to set up a company for his activities at the Temple Restaurant, ‘Temple Jazz Club, Since the Cavern’s conception he had involved himself as the cashier, so he was well placed to understand the state of the finances. After discussing with Alan’s father the auditor was informed that Alan Sytner would accept Three Thousand Pounds for the business. The young auditor offered Two Thousand Seven Fifty Pounds Dr Sytner accepted this offer. Practically bit his hand off!.
The young auditor lost no time in handing over the money ‘The young auditor Raymond Mcfall was now the proud owner of the Cavern Club. October 1st, 1959.
Alan Sytner became increasingly disillusioned, the vision he inherited for the basement premises in Mathew Street after his never-to-be-forgotten visit to the Caveau François Jazz venue was fading. The basement club in Mathew Street was never to achieve that ambition. When the opportunity appeared he was gone.