Death of popular Barnoldswick man (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Death of popular Barnoldswick man

8:00pm Monday 16th August 2010 in

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A Cinema owner who once famously passed up an opportunity to bring The Beatles to Barnoldswick has died suddenly.

Boris Hartley, 79, of Borishar Dene, Greenberfield Lane, Barnoldswick, died at Airedale General Hospital, in Steeton, near Keighley, on Sunday night. He had been taken to the West Yorkshire hospital after collapsing in his front garden at around 4.20pm.

Yesterday tributes flooded in to the grandfather, who used to own the Majestic and Palace cinemas in the West Craven town.

Coun David Whipp, who knew Mr Hartley for most of his life, described him as a ‘real character’ and recalled the story of how he once met the fab four’s manager, Brian Epstein, and almost booked them to play at the Majestic Ballroom in the 1960s.

He said: “Boris had the chance to bring The Beatles to Barlick, but he didn’t. It was one of his great regrets and he told the tale many times. He had a meeting with Brian Epstein, but he wanted too much money, so he passed on it.

“He was a marvellous man and I’m very sorry to hear that he has passed away. He has left a legacy of fond memories in Barnoldswick and wider afield with picture houses that he and his family ran.”

Mr Hartley was born and raised in Barnoldswick, but was educated at Ashville College, a boarding school in Harrogate.

He came from a family of prominent businessmen, who owned a number of picture houses in West Craven and Yorkshire.

After the Majestic Cinema closed in the early 1980s, he remained a film enthusiast.

Earlier this year footage of the 1960 Barnoldswick Gala, which was shot by Mr Hartley, was discovered in a former projectionist’s attic.

The 16mm colour film was then shown at the town’s new Centre Screen Cinema.

Harry Purcell, a lifelong friend of Mr Hartley, said: “Boris would help anybody. He was a great friend of our family and was the reason why I went to Ashville College. He was also a very good drummer in his younger years.”