HOUSEMARTINS legend Paul Heaton has proved to be a class act with a move designed to help support local festival-goers.

Heaton, 61, is set to headline Neighbourhood Weekender tomorrow, Saturday.

The lead singer of the Housemartins, and later the Beautiful South, was also due to perform with 'Rotterdam' co-singer Jacqui Abbott, who has since pulled out of the festival.

Warrington Guardian: It was announced earlier this year that Jacqui Abbott would not be performing alongside Heaton at this year's Neighbourhood WeekenderIt was announced earlier this year that Jacqui Abbott would not be performing alongside Heaton at this year's Neighbourhood Weekender (Image: Paul Heaton)

Taking to social media, Paul - who was born in Birkenhead - announced that he would be putting money behind some bars in Warrington ahead of Neighbourhood Weekender in order to allow festival-goers to be treated to a free drink.

Posting a statement online, the headline act said: "As a thank you, and a small amount of help during the cost of greed crisis, [I am] leaving some money behind the bar at a few local pubs in Warrington so that some of you attending Neighbourhood Festival this weekend can have a drink on [me] (until the money runs out, or the bar runs dry!).

"The pubs involved will be The Bull’s Head (33 Church Street), The Kings Head (40 Winwick Street) and The Cheshire Cheese (654 Knutsford Road), which are all within a couple of miles of the festival site.

"Money will also be left behind the bar of the festival’s own pub, the Neighbourhood Inn for anyone heading into the festival early looking to catch any of the artists kicking off the different stages each day - you’ll be offered a drink token for the Neighbourhood Inn pub on your way into the festival.

"First come first served."

The free drinks will encourage some to attend the festival earlier in the day, which will mean there are larger crowds to support some of the festival's lesser-known artists, who will be performing hours before the headline acts take to the various stages.

Neighbourhood Weekender is set to kick off on Saturday, May 27, and will be the fifth time the festival has taken place, having been forced to cancel the 2020 dates due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The scale of the festival is set to cause disruption on the town's roads, with more than 60 closures expected over the weekend.

Neighbourhood Weekender will take place on Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28, at Victoria Park.