A JUDGE once famously asked "who are The Beatles?" Not surprisingly, he was ridiculed in the national press the following day.
The notion that anybody did not know the identity of the Fab Four was laughable.
But has Merseyside made the most of the worldwide popularity of The Beatles?
In the run-up to Capital of Culture, tourism managers are keen to exploit any aspect of the city's culture and the Beatles are certainly a big part of that.
Recently, a marketing campaign was launched to increase awareness overseas of Liverpool as the home of the Beatles. It is hoped the drive will bring in about £12m every year.
It was launched with a concert in Pisa where 4,000 Italians turned out in a public square to watch tribute band the Mersey Beatles.
At the time, Martin King, director of tourism for the Mersey Partnership, said the appeal of the Fab Four had not been used to its full potential in luring visitors to Merseyside.
"Some people in Liverpool may think The Beatles are over-used as a tourist attraction, but in fact they are not used enough if you look at how Memphis has benefited from the Elvis legacy."
No one could accuse Liverpool of dwelling on the past and becoming a shrine to its most famous citizens.
And many Liverpudlians are keen to point out that the city has far more than one string to its bow, so maybe we are getting the balance just about right.
The Daily Post asks: "Have we done enough to promote the Beatles as a tourist attraction?"
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