A LOCAL researcher has revealed the Sex Pistols’ history with Barnsley.

Paul Griffiths has uncovered a relatively unheard of Barnsley gig in which the famed punk band performed which, up until recently, was shrouded in mystery.

As part of their five-date mini-tour of Yorkshire and Lincoln, the Sex Pistols played a gig at the Halfway Hotel, Goldthorpe on Sunday May 23, 1976.

The pub has since been closed down and demolished, but echoes of its musical relevance still linger.

The iconic band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 but famously refused the honour as part of their punk ethos.

Formed in 1975, the band were only officially together for around two-and-a-half years but their legacy and impact on the punk rock scene is still evident.

Paul’s research has cited an excerpt from Jon Savage’s definitive book, England’s Dreaming, where Nils Stevenson, the band’s tour manager, referenced the Barnsley gig.

Nils said: “In Barnsley we played this awful place out in the sticks, just this pub in the middle of nowhere.

“The place filled up and things got a bit hairy, so I made the landlord call the police, who escorted us out.”

Despite Nils’ testimony, the band’s Goldthorpe show never appeared in an official gig list.

After some digging, Paul uncovered an issue of the South Yorkshire Times, which advertised that very gig for the next day.

The date of the show lines up with other gigs played in the region and was the band’s last gig before returning to London.

After engaging with local Facebook groups, Paul discovered multiple people who claimed awareness of the gig, or even went themselves.

Barnsley local, David Hill, said: “Not really sure how I knew about the gig.

“I used to read the Melody Maker so was aware of much of what was happening but I suspect there would have been some word of mouth too. I was there on the night, curious about the Sex Pistols.

“The Pistols gig at the Halfway wasn’t full, but had expectation, for they looked and sounded like a punk band, loud, fast, aggressive.

“They weren’t great musicians but that was what they were about, though Johnny Rotten had something he had a strong presence and was a good front man.

“I enjoyed it, there was some typical reaction from the odd person, one lad went up and said to them ‘if you spit on my girlfriend, l’ll have you’.

“Typical ignorance it was good and I’m glad I saw them.”