Liverpool’s Penny Lane street sign that was stolen by drunk students has been returned to the city after 47 years. The Mossley Hill suburb’s sign was taken in 1976, nine years after the release of The Beatles’ single Penny Lane, which was a double A-side with Strawberry Fields Forever. The sign is on display in the museum on Liverpool’s Albert Dock. A man contacted the Beatles Story museum in Liverpool earlier this year and said he wanted to send the “totally pristine” sign back to the city.
The former student, who described the petty thieves as “worse for wear” when they stole the sign, said: “Because I am getting on a bit now, I want to return it to the Pool, where I spent six very happy years as a student, undergrad then postgrad, including meeting my wife of 44 years. Obviously, Liverpool is where the sign should now spend the rest of its days.” The sign is not the only one to have been stolen from the road, but museum bosses said it was the oldest to be returned.
Dan Barrington, Liverpool city council’s cabinet member for transport, said the sign’s removal was a criminal offense that can lead to a prison sentence. However, given the history of the case and the fact that the Penny Lane sign has finally returned to its rightful home after what appears to be a long and winding journey, it’s best to just “let it be.” Steve Rotheram, the mayor of the Liverpool city region, stated that Penny Lane is more than just a street that inspired a song all those years ago. It is a music time capsule immortalized by The Beatles, who shook the world.
In recent times, there has been much debate as to whether Penny Lane should be renamed due to the song’s possible association with slave trader James Penny. Despite protests, the city council has decided that Penny Lane’s name will remain, and a public consultation will be held in which the residents, musicians, and poets of Liverpool will be asked to suggest other ways to commemorate the city’s rich cultural heritage
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