The children’s home that inspired John Lennon to write “Strawberry Fields Forever” is to be a tourist attraction.
As a child, Lennon used to climb over the wall to play in its gardens in Woolton, Liverpool.
The Salvation Army closed the home in 2005.
It’s now to re-open with an exhibition of Lennon’s early days and provide training for 18-25-year-olds with learning disabilities.
Lyrics from the song, released in 1967, have been written on the wall.
And the instruments that helped create the distinctive sound – a mellotron and tape-replay keyboard – are on show.
There is also a much-prized handwritten early draft of the lyrics.
Lennon’s sister Julia Baird, honorary president of the project, said:
“I suppose as children we all have somewhere that’s a bit ours, a bit special.
“It might be a little hidey-hole under the stairs, or it might be up an oak tree but it’s somewhere we take ourselves off and that’s a special place.
“It seems from the song that this was John’s special place.”
Salvation Army territorial commander Commissioner Anthony Cotterill said:
“John Lennon found sanctuary here as a child and that’s exactly what we want to offer by opening the Strawberry Field gates for good.”
The song was originally written for the LP, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
But pressure from the group’s record label saw it released as a double A side single with Paul McCartney’s song Penny Lane.
