Former Beautiful South's Paul Heaton puts cash behind bars of 60 pubs to celebrate 60th birthday

Paul Heaton puts money behind the bars of 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland Credit: PA images

Singer Paul Heaton is celebrating his 60th birthday by putting cash behind the bars of 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland.

The former Beautiful South frontman hopes fans will help mark the special occasion on Monday, 9 May after his previous birthday plans had to be cancelled.

Heaton had planned to celebrate his 60th with a bicycle tour, taking him to 60 UK and Irish pubs - but due to Covid and recording delays, he has been forced to rethink.

Instead, he announced on social media that he will be putting cash behind the bars of 60 pubs "hand picked" by him to "bring people together" after a tough couple of years.

Heaton 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 and 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."

The Birkenhead-born singer, who owns The Kings Arms in Salford, has gifted money to more than a several pubs in the North West including the Flying Horse in Rochdale, Britons Protection in Manchester, and the Globe in Liverpool.

Full list of pubs:

  • Robinsons Bar - Great Victoria Street, Belfast

  • Eddie Murphys - Thomastown, Kilkenny

  • Peadar O'Donnells - Waterloo Street, Derry

  • The Punter's 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 Road, Glasgow

  • Nice n Sleazy - Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow

  • The Sheep Heid Inn - The Causeway, Edinburgh

  • Kay's Bar - Jamaica Street, 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 Street, Darvel

  • The Sportsman Inn - Heads Lane, Carlisle

  • The Original Oak - Headingley, Leeds

  • The Flying Horse - Packer Street, Rochdale

  • Britons Proection - Bridgewater Street, Manchester

  • Bowling Green - Chortlon-cum-Hardy

  • The Orion - Burton Road, Withington

  • The Railway Inn - Lapwing Lane, West Didsbury

  • Albert Wilsons - Wilmslow Road, Withington

  • The Dog & Partridge - Manchester Road, Warrington

  • Bird I'th Hand - Prescot Road, St Helens

  • The Saddle Inn - Dale Street, Liverpool

  • The Glove - Cases Street, Liverpool

  • The Coachmaker's Arms - Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent

  • The Bay Horse - Market Place, Market Weighton

  • Lord Nelson - Arundel Street, Sheffield

  • Riverside Kelham - Mowbray Street, Sheffield

  • The Morning Star - Greetwell Gate, Lincoln

  • Ye Olde Blue Bell - Market Place, Hull

  • The Whalebone - Wincolmlee, Hull

  • The Grafton - Grafton Street, 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 Street, Saint Neots

  • Hardies - Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

  • Golden Fleece Inn - Market Square, Porthmadog

  • Rummer Tavern - Duke Street, Cardiff

  • Hare & Hounds - King's Heath, Birmingham

  • Patrick Kavanagh - Trafalgar Road, Birmingham

  • The Red Hart - Bodham, Norfolk

  • The Eagle - Norfolk Street, King's Lynn

  • The Duke of York - Woodbridge Road, Ipswich

  • The Stag's Head - New Cavendish Street, London

  • The Coffee House Pub - Beak Street, London

  • The Glue Pot - Emlyn Square, Swindon

  • The Thunderbolt - Bath Road, Bristol

  • The Cricketers Inn - South Street, Dorking

  • Grasshopper on the Green - Westerham, Kent

  • Minerva Inn - Looe Street, Plymouth

  • Duke of Wellington - Brighton Road, Shoreham-by-Sea

  • Polgooth Inn - St Austell, Cornwall

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