GOING down the ‘Imp’ was the Saturday night must for almost 20 years.

And as the pop phenomenon gathered pace in the late fifties and sixties, all the up-and-coming stars would stop, on route to the top of the charts, at the Nelson ballroom.

Over the years, such groups as The Beatles, Cilla, our own local Hollies, Adam Faith, Billy Fury and The Rolling Stones all appeared on its famous stage.

Burnley author Steve Chapples first published a book looking back at the venue four years ago and is now set to bring out a second revised edition.

“Goin’ down th’Imp” will look at Nelson’s ballroom of the stars from 1957 to 1976 – when it was destroyed in a massive blaze – highlighting the many famous faces and sounds, from Skiffle in the late 1950s to Pink Floyd and T Rex in the mid-70s.

The book also includes a photo of Steve in the Electron record shop, in Burnley, holding his photograph of the Beatles, after they won their Variety Club’s showbusiness personalities of the year awards in 1963.

Three of them came to the music store just after they recorded Love Me Do in late 1962.

Said Steve: “When I first brought out this book, the 1,000 copies quickly got snapped up and I had orders from ex-pats all around the world.

"This is a fully-revised second edition, with new photographs and fuller mini-biographies.

“They were happy, hopeful times, when we broke away from the stranglehold of the buttoned-up fifties, wore weird and wonderful clothes, had money in our pockets, and fell in love to Beatles’ songs.”

l The edition costs £12 and cheques should be sent to Steve, at 133, Woodgrove Road, Burnley BB11 3EJ.