LAST week, the SNJ asked - do you remember the day the Beatles came to Stroud?

It turns out that one person vividly recalls the gig at the Subscription Rooms on March 31, 1962.

His name - Sir Paul McCartney.

Speaking on BBC2's the Culture Show on Saturday, the rock legend said it was the worst venue the band ever played.

"We'd never heard of Stroud," he said, "a few people in the crowd were teds and they started throwing pennies at us.

"We just picked them up."

SNJ reader George Strange, of Butterrow Hill, also remembers the gig well.

He was 20 at the time and was drinking in the Post Office pub, what is now Sawyer Estate Agents opposite the Sub Rooms, when four men of a similar age walked in and challenged him to a game of darts.

George, now 65, said, "I was in there with some mates playing darts and these four fellas walked in.

"They were strangers, we didn't know them.

"We played darts with them.

"We probably beat them but I don't remember."

After, Mr Strange paid five shillings, around 25p, to enter the Sub Rooms and recognised the four men on stage.

"I used to go to the Sub Rooms every Saturday night.

"It was packed that night, it always was on Saturdays.

"People didn't pay attention to the fact they were the Beatles because nobody knew who they were.

"They weren't the Beatles then, they were just normal guys."

At the time, Ringo Star had yet to join the band and Pete Best was playing drums.

George became a big fan when the band rocketed to fame and he does have one regret from that evening in 1962.

"I wish I got their autograph," he said.

Another reader, Anthony Craig, from Stonehouse, contacted us to say the band also played at the Sub Rooms on September 1 the same year, having played Lydney Town Hall the night before.

The SNJ ran an article last week asking if anyone knew when the Beatles came to Stroud as a plaque advertising the gig which was being sold by Stroud Auctions failed to mention the year.

* Now we are asking, do you remember the day U2 came to Stroud? The SNJ believe the band played in Stroud in the late 1970s or early 1980s at what is now Bar Riga. If you were there, contact Abby at the SNJ on 01453 769423.