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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Dianne Bourne & Daisy Herman

Beautiful South legend Paul Heaton to put 'cash behind bar' at Liverpool pubs

Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton is celebrating his 60th birthday by treating pub-goers across the country to a drink.

The music legend is putting money "behind the bar" of 60 pubs to celebrate his birthday on Monday, May 9. He wants fans across the UK to join him, including those in Liverpool.

He took to social media to announce that he will be revealing a "full list" of 60 pubs which will be joining in his celebrations. Fans in Liverpool will be pleased as three pubs have made the cut, and a few only a short distance from the city.

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The MEN explained how Paul had intended to do another of his bicycle tours across the UK, visiting and performing 60 pubs to celebrate his big 6-0. But due to "recording delays" because of the pandemic, that has had to be put on the backburner.

So instead, kind-hearted Paul has decided the "next best way to celebrate this coming of age is to handpick 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland and put a given amount of money behind the bar of each one". He says he hopes that both fans of his, and regulars at the pubs, can enjoy a "birthday drink on me" until the money runs out or the bar runs dry.

He said he hopes to "bring people together" on his big day, in what is promised to be more than just a Happy Hour. The full list includes three pubs in Liverpool, and pubs in nearby St Helens, Warrington and Greater Manchester.

In Paul's original statement he posted a picture sipping a drink and shared his plans. He wrote: "To celebrate my 60th birthday (on Monday 9th May) I’d originally intended to do another bicycle tour, visiting & performing at 60 pubs across the UK & Ireland.

"However, due to recording delays caused by the pandemic, I’ve had to shelve these plans for the time being.

"Instead, I’ve decided that the next best way to celebrate this coming of age is to handpick 60 pubs across the UK & Ireland and put a given amount of money behind the bar of each one. Then, both regulars and yourselves can enjoy a birthday drink on me (until the money runs out, or the bar runs dry!)"

"The hope is to bring people together on the day, whilst recognising that many folk who bought my records or showed me support over the years, could do with a wee party, as we come out of Covid and hit potential financial struggles. I’ll announce the full list of pubs and locations tomorrow, so if there’s one near you please head over on Monday, show your support and raise a toast to me on my birthday!"

The Casa on Hope Street (Colin Lane)

The chosen boozers in Liverpool include The Saddle Inn (Dale St), Casa Bar (Hope St), and The Globe (Cases St). Further afield, there will be cash behind the bar at the Bird I'th Hand (Prescot Rd) in St Helens, and The Dog & Partridge (Manchester Rd) in Warrington.

There are also six pubs included in Greater Manchester - The Flying Horse in Rochdale, the iconic Britons Protection in Manchester city centre, Bowling Green in Chorlton, The Orion in Withington, The Railway Inn in West Didsbury and Albert Wilsons in Withington.

He's not said how much will go behind the bar at each pub, or at what particular time it will start. Although the follow-up post did say: "It would be great to see photos of you all enjoying your free drinks and celebrations at each pub throughout the day!"

Cheshire-born and Sheffield-raised Paul found fame with the Housemartins and then The Beautiful South, before delighting audiences in recent years across the UK with his partnership with Jacqui Abbott.

Paul, now based in Manchester, and fellow Beautiful South star Jacqui performed a sell-out UK tour in 2021. The duo will be back on stage for two huge stadium gigs this summer, at St Helens on July 22 and Doncaster on July 23.

The list of 60 pubs in full

Robinsons Bar – Great Victoria St, Belfast

Eddie Murphys – Thomastown, Kilkenny

Peadar O’Donnells - Waterloo St, Derry

The Punters Rest - Tipperary

The Sky on the Ground – Whitewell, Wexford

Courtney’s Bar – Killarney, Co. Kerry

Keohoes – Dublin

Tig Coili – The Latin Quarter, Galway

Bonners Corner Bar – Ballybofey, Co. Donegal

The Old Toll Bar – Paisley Rd W, Glasgow

Nice n Sleazy – Sauchiehall St, Glasgow

The Sheep Heid Inn – The Causeway, Edinburgh

Kay’s Bar – Jamaica St, Edinburgh

Tanners Arms – Byker Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne

The Freetrade Inn – Lawrence Road, Newcastle upon Tyne

The Half Moon – Northgate, Darlington

The Black Bull – Main St, Darvel

The Sportsmans Inn – Heads Ln, Carlisle

The Original Oak – Headingley, Leeds

Saddle Inn pub on Dale street, Liverpool. Photo by Colin Lane (Colin Lane)

The Flying Horse – Packer St, Rochdale

The Britons Protection – Bridgewater St, Manchester

Bowling Green – Chorlton-cum-Hardy

The Orion – Burton Road, Withington

The Railway Inn – Lapwing Ln, West Didsbury

Albert Wilsons – Wilmslow Rd, Withington

The Dog & Partridge – Manchester Rd, Warrington

Bird I’th Hand – Prescot Rd, St Helens

The Saddle Inn – Dale St, Liverpool

The Casa Bar – Hope St, Liverpool

The Globe – Cases St, Liverpool

The Coachmakers Arms – Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent

The Bay Horse – Market Pl, Market Weighton

Lord Nelson – Arundel Street, Sheffield

Riverside Kelham – Mowbray St, Sheffield

The Morning Star – Greetwell Gate, Lincoln

Ye Olde Blue Bell – Market Place, Hull

The Whalebone – Wincolmlee, Hull

The Grafton – Grafton St, Hull

The White Horse – Hutton Cranswick

Hatfield Main Pit Club – Stainforth, Doncaster

The Old Horse – London Road, Leicester

The Black Horse – Aylestone, Leicester

The Bulls Head – Cambridge St, Saint Neots

Hardies – Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

Golden Fleece Inn – Market Square, Porthmadog

Rummer Tavern – Duke St, Cardiff

Hare & Hounds – King’s Heath, Birmingham

Patrick Kavanagh – Trafalgar Road, Birmingham

The Red Hart – Bodham, Norfolk

The Eagle – Norfolk St, King’s Lynn

The Duke of York – Woodbridge Rd, Ipswich

The Stags Head – New Cavendish St, London

The Coffee House Pub – Beak St, London

The Glue Pot – Emlyn Square, Swindon

The Thunderbolt – Bath Rd, Bristol

The Cricketers Inn – South St, Dorking

Grasshopper on the Green – Westerham, Kent

Minerva Inn – Looe St, Plymouth

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