Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott have explained the “brilliant” reason why they’ve chosen to cap the price of their tour tickets at £30.
While the going rate for tickets to arena and stadium tours tends to hover around the £70-£80 or more mark nowadays, the pair – who were famously part of pop rock group The Beautiful South, which Heaton formed in 1988 and Abbott joined as lead vocalist from 1994-2007 – have said they are determined to keep prices affordable amid the rising cost of living crisis.
The duo announced their huge UK arena tour towards the end of August, and have released their fifth studio album titled ‘N.K-Pop’ today.
Heaton and Abbott have been on the receiving end of a lot of praise from members of the public after making an appearance on BBC Breakfast this morning to speak about rising costs in the music industry while promoting their new album.
Heaton said he was ultimately “against greed in the industry”.
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“It’s really important that in the coming months, and possibly years, that we tell the fans that we are getting paid enough and want to keep it low for you,” he explained.
“I’m against greed in the industry”
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott are back with their fifth studio album.
“I’m very much against greed in the industry. I feel as though there is quite a lot. We are trying to just battle and say ‘we’ll do it for as low as we can’.”
Heaton – who has some 15 million album sales under his belt, with a celebrated music career that also included a stint as the frontman of The Housemartins – said himself and Abbott are looking to “set a bit of an example” for the rest of the music industry going forward with their decision to cap tour ticket prices at £30.
A clip from the BBC Breakfast interview has been going viral on social media today, with fans of the pair calling them “legends”.
One fan said on Twitter: “What a man. Brilliant. Understands people are struggling and he’s making enough why can’t others think like that. Top top man.”
“Need more Paul Heatons in this world. It’s as simple as that. Legend, hero, good human being,” another fan added, while a third said: “Paul Heaton is one of the absolute greats in the music world and yet rarely gets any recognition. It’s a travesty.”
Paul & Jacqui UK tour announced with special guest @BillyBragg including dates at Manchester @AOArena & London @TheO2. All tickets £30! Qualify for presale access by pre-ordering the new album at https://t.co/iXyR5p7hCq by 4pm Monday. Presale codes/links emailed from 5pm Monday. pic.twitter.com/RTjD2d8DZl
The award-winning duo’s appearance on BBC Breakfast comes after they announced they would be making a return to Manchester on their UK tour in December – which will include some of their biggest-ever shows as a duo, with support from special guest Billy Bragg at all dates.
They’ll be gigging at the AO Arena in Manchester, as well as the O2 Arena in London, and Sheffield’s Utilita Arena as part of the upcoming tour.
This isn’t the first time this year that Paul Heaton has gone out of his way to make life a little easier for his fans, as he cemented his place in the nation’s hearts back in May by putting £1,000 behind the bar of 60 pubs across the UK and Ireland.
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The gesture was done so that people could have a drink on him to celebrate his 60th birthday.
Featured Image – BBC Breakfast
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Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
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TfGM apologises after two weeks of major tram disruption across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Trams have finally resumed running in Greater Manchester following two weeks of major disruption across the Metrolink network.
Tram services have resumed across the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this morning (Monday 2 November) following the completion of major track replacement work between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield, while maintenance and renewal work also took place on the Eccles line and in the city centre during the planned closure.
Engineers replaced around 4km of track on what is said to be one of the ‘busiest and most complex’ sections of the Metrolink network.
The new track will allow further speed restrictions to be lifted, as according to TfGM, around 100,000 journeys are already benefiting from journey time improvements delivered through previous phases of work every day.
It all forms part of the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network in a bid to make it ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come.
✅ This morning, tram services have resumed on the Altrincham, East Didsbury, Eccles, Manchester Airport and Trafford Park lines.
We thank customers for their patience and understanding while these works took place.
↪️ A small service change remains in place through the city centre until the end of service on Wednesday 4 November.
Until then, trams on the Bury – Altrincham, and Victoria – Manchester Airport lines will divert via Exchange Square. Customers may need to change trams to reach Shudehill or Market Street.
👉 Find out more: https://t.co/Vm08ZEDUq4
With services now back up and running, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has issued a statement apologising for disruption.
Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, commented: “This was an essential piece of engineering work on one of the busiest parts of our tram network and will help keep services safe, reliable and fit for the future.
“We’re sorry for the disruption and I’d like to thank passengers, residents, and businesses for their patience while we got on with the job.
“The upgrades mean customers will benefit from smoother journeys and allow us to lift further speed restrictions on this section of the network. It will help speed up our journeys and improve reliability for everyone who uses our network.
“Completing work of this scale on time is a significant achievement and I’d like to thank everyone involved for getting it done safely and efficiently.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th October 2022 
