In 1960, Bett Robins, a cousin of Paul McCartney, and his husband Mike became the managers of the Bow Bars pub, in Ryde. On several occasions, Paul recalled hitchhiking to Ryde with John around 1960 or 1961, and said that The Beatles’ 1965 song “Ticket To Ride” was inspired by that journey. However, according to Mark Lewisohn in “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years“, it is unlikely that Paul and John ever made such a trip, suggesting that the story may be a conflation of different memories.
There are no obvious spaces in Paul and John’s calendar for this trip to have happened except at the start of July 1961, but John never mentioned it, and a letter sent by Mike Robbins to Mike McCartney on July 6, 1961 (reproduced in Thank U Very Much, p76) doesn’t refer to Paul making any visits.
From “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years” by Mark Lewisohn, 2013
John and I always liked wordplay. So, the phrase ‘She’s got a ticket to ride’ of course referred to riding on a bus or train, but – if you really want to know – it also referred to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, where my cousin Betty and her husband Mike were running a pub. That’s what they did; they ran pubs. He ended up as an entertainment manager at a Butlin’s holiday resort. Betty and Mike were very showbiz. It was great fun to visit them, so John and I hitchhiked down to Ryde, and when we wrote the song we were referring to the memory of this John and I always liked wordplay. So, the phrase ‘She’s got a ticket to ride’ of course referred to riding on a bus or train, but – if you really want to know – it also referred to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, where my cousin Betty and her husband Mike were running a pub. That’s what they did; they ran pubs. He ended up as an entertainment manager at a Butlin’s holiday resort. Betty and Mike were very showbiz. It was great fun to visit them, so John and I hitchhiked down to Ryde, and when we wrote the song we were referring to the memory of this trip. It’s very cute now to think of me and John in a little single bed, top and tail, and Betty and Mike coming to tuck us in.
Paul McCartney – From “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present“, 2021
On April 7, 1963, after performing at the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea, The Beatles were due to cross to the Isle of Wight to visit Bett and Mike at the Bow Bars. However, by then, the group’s rapidly growing popularity had resulted in an increasingly demanding schedule. With television and radio appearances in London the following day, the visit had to be cancelled. To make amends, The Beatles signed the reverse of a Parlophone publicity card, which was sent to Diana, a young member of staff at the Bow Bars who had been eagerly anticipating their visit, together with an apology for being unable to make the crossing.
According to Mark Lewisohn in “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years“, Paul McCartney did subsequently visit Bett and Mike Robins in Ryde later that month, in April 1963.
In April 1965, when “Ticket To Ride” was released as a single, the town of Ryde seized the opportunity to publicise itself by sending The Beatles train tickets from Liverpool to Ryde. At the time, to our knowledge, Paul McCartney had not yet publicly linked the song to the town.
THE BEATLES GET TICKETS TO RYDE
The Beatles, who are top of the hit parade with their record “Ticket To Ride,” have been sent four first-class rail tickets — to RYDE.
They were a gift from the town council of the Isle of Wight resort because councillors think the record will attract more holidaymakers.
From Daily Mirror – April 27, 1965
Ticket to Ryde for Beatles
TAKE a “Ticket to Ride,” advise the Beatles in their chart-topping record, and now Ryde Corporation hopes John, Ringo, Paul and George will follow this advice.
They sent impresario Brian Epstein four first-class train tickets from Liverpool to Ryde with the note: “In compliance with the four-fold advice of the Beatles, tickets to Ryde have been taken in quadruplicate and are herewith enclosed with the compliments and best wishes of their many admirers in Ryde.”
Mr. Epstein wrote back that he though the idea “splendid,” and would pass the tickets on to the four V.I.Ps, who are currently making a film at Twickenham.
Said Mr. Reginald Lugg, Ryde’s publicity superintendent: “All the teenagers in the Island are waiting to see what the Beatles’ reaction will be.”
From Southern Daily Echo – April 28, 1965
