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Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott praised for ‘brilliant’ reason behind capping their tour tickets at £30

The duo said they are ultimately "against greed in the industry".

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 7th October 2022

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 think people are delighted.

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“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”.

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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.”

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

News

Woman who protested alone outside Chanel show labelled ‘a queen’

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson A woman staged a lone protest outside the Chanel show

A woman who staged a lone protest outside the Chanel show in Manchester last week has been inundated with praise from locals.

The woman was positioned on High Street, mere metres from where a-list celebrities and high-fashion models were parading for the fashion giant.

The fact that the exclusive event took place in Manchester has been considered a huge coup for the city, and one which will have had a significant economic impact.

But the woman outside the Chanel show chose the opportunity to highlight the stark contrast between the luxurious fashion show and the harsh reality of many living in poverty in our city.

She held a sign that read: “Over 250,000 children living in poverty in Manchester. Higher than UK average.

“Manchester has one of the highest level of homelessness. 1 in 74 people. 7407 and rising!

“Where have you hidden the homeless Andy??”

Speaking about Chanel, she told photographer Project Certi: “No one was consulted about this. It’s not for the people of Manchester. You can come here if you want a celebrity spot but that’s not for you.

“This sort of thing moves around the world, they’ll have it somewhere weird and wonderful every year, and this is kind of like, capitalising on the working class history of Manchester.

“The poster’s got, ironically, the suffragettes on it, you know, people fighting for rights. They’re using images from the Hacienda, they’re using music of Joy Division and New Order, all of that what made Manchester on the music map all came out working class struggle. It all came during Thatcher and the attack on the working class, which is exactly what we’re seeing now with 12 years of austerity.”

@projectcerti

There was one woman on her own amongst the public. She was one person with a sign and i felt it was only right to amplify her voice. She makes some good points. #manchester #chanel #chanelshow #fyp #trending #people

♬ original sound – ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴄᴇʀᴛɪ

She also highlighted the man who died on the street in the Gay Village on a night where temperatures dropped, and the ‘cr*ppy B&Bs’ that homeless people find themselves housed in.

Speaking of the impact of Chanel on Manchester though, Deputy Leader Luthfur Rahman OBE said: “The impact of the decision by CHANEL to hold its prestigious Métiers d’Art show here in Manchester is something that is already resonating with people around the globe and is going to continue to be felt by the city for quite some time.

“It speaks volumes about the regard in which Manchester is already held across the world, but more importantly it also sends a clear signal to international businesses and the international visitor economy that Manchester is the place to be.

“It’s impossible at this stage to even begin to quantify the economic impact hosting the event has had on the city, or to put a figure on it. The true impact will involve not just the direct spend and income generated within the city over these last few weeks leading up to and during the event, but also the longer-term benefits that will come from the massive boost to Manchester’s profile that CHANEL has given the city, that in turn translates into more visitors coming to see what Manchester has to offer, and more businesses choosing to invest here.

“It has been without doubt quite a moment for Manchester, not least coming as it does off the back of many other significant moments for the city this year, that together place Manchester in absolute pole position on the world’s stage for the years ahead.”

In the comments on Project Certi’s video, one person wrote: “Thank you for giving this woman a platform.”

Another wrote: “Whoever this woman is, she’s a legend. As are you for capturing it.”

Someone else posted: “I have so much respect for this woman, I’d love to meet her and let her know she’s not alone in her feelings towards this.”

One comment said: “She is such a queen, bang on with everything she’s saying.”

And someone else called for ‘This lady for PM’.

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Featured image: TikTok, Project Certi

News

Unexpected Manchester city centre street named ‘one of the most polluted’ in the UK

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

A new fieldwork study has revealed the worst air polluted city centre streets in the UK, and a popular Manchester thoroughfare has been named one of the worst.

Except, it’s really not the street you’d expect it to be.

For some bizarre reason, despite the fact it’s a pedestrianised commercial shopping street in the heart of Manchester city centre, Market Street has been named one of the most polluted streets in the country.

Recordings were taken at high streets in the 25 largest towns and cities in the country over a two-week period, and the results found that 76% are exceeding the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended annual level of air pollution, The Hoot reports.

The study enlisted a planning consultancy to collect samples using an air quality monitoring device at 11am on either a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to ensure as much comparability as possible between the locations.

Market Street has been named one of the ‘most polluted’ streets in the UK / David Dixon (via Geograph)

The study comes after a poll of 2,000 adults found that 36% have concerns over the health of the community due to air pollution, or the health of their family (26%) or themselves (25%).

Speaking on the shocking findings from the new study, Sam Clarke, who is the chief vehicle officer at the sustainable energy business, said: “With millions set to hit the high street this festive period, we wanted to look at the state of the nation’s air quality in the locations people will be doing most of their Christmas shopping.

“It’s shocking to see that so many were above the World Health Organisation’s annual recommendations for air pollution, and that one in 10 shoppers are even planning on foregoing the highstreets altogether due to air quality.”

20 streets in the UK were over the recommended World Health Organisation recommended levels of 5 µg/m3).

The Most-Polluted Streets in the UK

  1. Stoke-On-Trent (Parliament Street) – 11.7
  2. Newcastle (Northumberland Street) – 11.5
  3. Leicester (Gallowtree Gate) – 11.2
  4. Coventry (West Orchards Way) – 11.1
  5. Hull (Jameston Street) – 10.7
  6. Bradford (Broadway) – 10.6
  7. Southampton (Above Bar Street) – 8.8
  8. Nottingham (High Street) – 7.7
  9. Luton (George Street) – 7.6
  10. Manchester (Market Street) – 7.6
  11. Northampton (Abington Street) – 7.3
  12. Birmingham New Street – 7.3
  13. Liverpool (Church Street) – 7.1
  14. Derby (St Peter’s Street) – 6.9
  15. London (Oxford Street) – 6.8
  16. Sheffield (Fargate) – 6.3
  17. Brighton (Western Road) – 5.6
  18. Leeds (Briggate) – 5.3
  19. Portsmouth (Commercial Road) – 5.1

“If we’re to reach the World Health Organisation’s annual target of 5 µg/m3 of PM2.5 in our air, collectively we need to change our behaviours,” Sam Clarke added.

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“With vehicle emissions being a key contributor, anything we can do to travel more greenly, from walking more to cycling, and including electric vehicles, is a very valuable set forward to improve the air we breathe daily.”

Featured Image – Matt Taylor (via Flickr)

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