As success began to spread across the Mersey scene, Ray undertook a policy of expansion and the Cavern soon became the most famous club in Britain. There was even a group called the Caverners (Kenny Smith, lead; Steve Roberts, bass; Mark Farrell, rhythm; Colin Roberts, drums) .Nems PR man Tony Barrow even wrote a book 'On The Scene At The Cavern', which was published by Souvenir Press.

Commenting on the club, Gerry Marsden was to say, “The Cavern had an atmosphere, right enough, for the fans. It stank of disinfectant and stale onions. It was hot, sweaty and oppressive. Blair Hall was ten times better; Holyoake Hall in Penny Lane was brilliant with a beautiful big stage and a dance floor the kids could enjoy. All the bands preferred it to the Cavern. If Brian Epstein had gone to any of these places to discover us and the Beatles these venues would have been famous. But the Cavern went down in history.

“It was a nightmare to get in and out of, struggling down the stairs from Mathew Street to the cellar with all our gear was tough, but it was the only entrance because there was no backstage. I shudder to think of the effect of a fire down there, had there ever been one.”

McFall organized a Cavern trip to Hamburg in which 36 members of the club flew to the German city for two days to visit the Star Club and see the Kubas (formerly the Koobas) and Ricky Gleason & the Top Spots from Liverpool and Tony Sheridan backed by the Bobby Patrick Big 6.

Ray was to forge a friendship with his counterpart at the Star Club, Manfred Weissleder. 

He carried a letter from the Lord Mayor of Liverpool to the Burgomeister of Hamburg which read: "I have heard with interest that during the last few years’ groups of young Liverpool rock 'n' roll musicians have visited Hamburg. I feel confident that these visits will result in the formation of friendships amongst members of the younger generation, a happy augury for the future."

The Cavern now had a Junior Cavern club, membership of which cost 6d (3p) and admission cost members 2/- (10p) and visitors 2/6d (12 1/2p) The sessions which took place between 1.00pm and 4.00pm each Saturday and featured two groups and Top Twenty discs, was strictly for thirteen to sixteen-year-olds and began on February 1 1964. A sign was displayed which read: 'Adults are not admitted unless accompanied by children.'

The club became the subject of worldwide media attention, with TV cameramen from America, France, Sweden and Germany focusing their cameras on the heady atmosphere; radio teams included several radio stations from India, the Russian news agency Tass, the Canadian Broadcasting Company - and a whole host of magazine journalists from American publications such as Time, Life and Newsweek. 

Celebrities from around the world took to dropping into the club, including film stars such as Anna Neagle, musicians such as Chet Atkins, classical conductor Arthur Feidler and dozens of others.

Ray continued his expansion plans and launched a management/agency called Cavern Artists Ltd, representing a number of acts, including the Michael Allen Group, the Clayton Squares, the Excelles, the Hideaways, the Kubas, the Notions, Earl Preston's Realms and the St Louis Checks and also launched the Cavern Sound recording studio.

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