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Rolling Stones 1963 gig at Wisbech Corn Exchange marked

John Devine/BBC Kevin RodgersJohn Devine/BBC
Kevin Rodgers remembers how excited everyone was about the Stones coming to Wisbech - but very little else about the gig

A Grade II listed venue built in 1811 as an exchange hall and gentlemen's club is marking 60 years since the Rolling Stones took to its stage.

Wisbech Corn Exchange hosted the band in July 1963, billing them as "the south's answer to Liverpool".

Kevin Rodgers went as a 15-year-old, but admitted remembering very little except his ticket to the dance night cost the equivalent of "about 32p".

The derelict hall is open to visitors until Sunday.

Dave Kindred/East Anglian Daily Times Rolling Stones at Ipswich Gaumont, 1964Dave Kindred/East Anglian Daily Times
A year later the Rolling Stones were inspiring stage invasions across the UK, such as this one at the Ipswich Gaumont in October 1964
Richard Humphrey/Geograph Wisbech Corn ExchangeRichard Humphrey/Geograph
The larger building the Corn Exchange is in is still home to Wisbech Town Council
. Newspaper advert for the Rolling Stones in Wisbech in 1963.
An advert, preserved by the Wisbech Corn Exchange Conservation Trust, dates the concert to Saturday, 20 July, 1963 with admission costing six shillings and sixpence
John Devine/BBC Wisbech Corn Exchange interiorJohn Devine/BBC
The hall is now derelict, although visitors can still see the venue's snack bar at the left end of the hall, with the small stage to its right

Mr Rodgers said: "Everybody was excited, all the management, [promoter] Norman Jacobs was very excited about getting the Rolling Stones here because he knew how good they would be.

"One thing I do remember is when they came into the hall, Mick Jagger and Brian Jones came over to the cloakroom and asked my sister where the proprietor was and they were perfectly polite young men, apart from longer hair than most."

The hall was packed with about 600 people.

The Corn Exchange began hosting entertainment from 1858 and played host to Shakespeare recitations, dancing, roller-skating, wrestling and bingo.

Other acts who visited the Fenland town in the 1960s included Jerry Lee Lewis, Lulu, Tom Jones and Adam Faith.

John Devine/BBC Norman Jacobs with cut out of Mick JaggerJohn Devine/BBC
Norman Jacobs Jnr's father, also Norman Jacobs, booked the Rolling Stones in what was believed to be one of their first gigs outside London and the Home Counties

Norman Jacobs took over its hall in 1948 and he was in charge when the Stones were booked for what was one of their first shows outside London and its neighbouring counties, around the time of their debut single Come On.

They performed on a stage next to a snack bar - the venue never had an alcohol licence.

His son, Norman Jacobs Junior, said the band asked for a sub for their petrol: "I'm glad to say he said yes. You've always got to help out young musicians, he just helped them out at that time and he must have liked what they played."

Toby Melville/Reuters Rolling Stones band members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie WoodToby Melville/Reuters
Last week at the Hackney Empire, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood revealed details of their first album of new, original material in nearly two decades

This month, the Stones have revealed news of their first album of original material since 2005.

Mr Jacobs Jnr said: "Maybe one day they might like to come back and have a little reminisce with all of us."

Wisbech Corn Exchange is opening as part of the national Heritage Open Days programme of events.

The Wisbech Corn Exchange Conservation Trust has organised the opening, and hopes to renovate the building.

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