Music legend Paul Heaton is preparing to celebrate his 60th birthday in style - by sticking his own cash behind the bar of 60 pubs across the UK. The former Beautiful South frontman celebrates his landmark birthday on Monday, May 9 and wants fans to join him.
He announced on his Facebook page at the weekend that he would announce a "full list" of 60 pubs. And the great news is there's a host of Greater Manchester pubs where he's sticking cash behind the bar that he's just announced.
Paul explained in his Facebook post that he 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" due to the pandemic that has had to be put on the backburner.
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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.
In what promises to be more than just a Happy Hour, he says he hopes to "bring people together on the day", which is just the loveliest thing isn't it? The full list includes six belting Greater Manchester boozers.
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 pubs in Greater Manchester are 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. A little further afield, there will be cash behind the bar at the Dog & Partridge in Warrington, Bird i'th Hand in St Helens and The Saddle Inn, Casa Bar and The Globe all in Liverpool.
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
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
Duke of Wellington – Brighton Road, Shoreham-by-Sea
Polgooth Inn – St Austell, Cornwall
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