Grand gesture: musician Paul Heaton puts £1,000 behind bar at 60 pubs

The Housemartins and Beautiful South frontman invited fans to celebrate his 60th birthday with him

Listen carefully and you may hear one of 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland playing anthems by the Beautiful South on Monday night. The venues have been selected by northern music legend Paul Heaton in honour of his 60th birthday, and by way of celebration he has put 1,000 behind the bar at each one.

The former Housemartins and Beautiful South frontman used his Facebook page to invite fans to celebrate with him, explaining that his original tour plan involving cycling between venues around the UK had to be shelved after the pandemic caused delays to the recording of his new album.