Drink for FREE at 60 pubs around the country today after The Beautiful South star put £60,000 behind the bar

DRINKERS around the country will be able to sup their favourite tipple for free after Beautiful South star Paul Heaton stumped up £60,000 to put behind the bar.

Kind-hearted Paul, who also had a number of hits in The Housemartins, turns 60 today, and intends to celebrate in style.

Heaton, who previously owned the King’s Arms in Salford, said he initially wanted to mark the event by going on a bicycle tour and visiting and performing at 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland.

But that plan was shelved due to recording delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead he made an announcement on Facebook, saying he wanted people to enjoy a birthday drink on his behalf and made the offer to 60 pubs around the country.

Heaton said: “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.”

He added: "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 list of pubs includes the Bird I’th Hand in St Helens, home town of Paul’s The Beautiful South bandmate Jacqui Abbott.

James Reading, the landlord of The Whalebone in Wincolmlee, west Hull, didn’t believe it was real when he was first told of the idea.

He told the : "When I originally heard about it, it was so far-fetched that I thought it was fraud and kind of ignored it.

"They messaged The Whalebone Facebook page and said Paul Heaton wants to put £1,000 behind the bar for your regulars.

“Then his promoter rang me and it was true. It is a wonderful thing to do."

Reading had to keep the plan secret until Heaton made the announcement on his Facebook page.

"We have only been able to tell people after the announcement went live so it's short notice, and it's a Monday,” Reading added. “But hopefully everyone that wants to get here will be able to have a drink on Paul Heaton!"

The 60 pubs taking part are:

• 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
• he 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
• Polgooth Inn - St Austell, Cornwall