Rumours are growing about a possible reunion of The Housemartins after Adelphi owner Paul Jackson appeared on BBC Radio 6 Music to promote Paul Heaton's 30th anniversary gig. But Stan Cullimore dismissed the speculation. Danny Longhorn asks if it really could be Happy Hour again.
Could The Housemartins reform to celebrate the Adelphi's 30th anniversary celebrations?
As unlikely as it sounds, fans are dreaming of a reunion after Adelphi owner Paul "Jacko" Jackson revealed former members Hugh Whitaker and Norman Cook have been invited to Paul Heaton's gig at the legendary venue on Sunday.
The Housemartins, famed for hits such as Happy Hour and Caravan Of Love, have not performed on stage together since the 1980s.
They disbanded in 1988, with Paul Heaton going on to stellar success with The Beautiful South and Norman Cook morphing into Fat Boy Slim.
But fans have taken to social media to ask if a reunion could be on the cards after Jackson appeared on BBC Radio 6 Music to promote Heaton's gig.
Speaking to Steve Lamacq, Jackson said: "On Sunday we've got Paul Heaton and Jacqui (Abbott), and Hugh Whittaker's going to be there, and they've asked Norman to come up and it's pretty much Paul Heaton's current touring band.
"He's playing pretty much 30 years to the day when he first asked me for a show for The Housemartins at The Adelphi. That's a real HU5 thing."
When Heaton's gig was announced, Hugh Whitaker said the Adelphi had played a huge part in the band's story.
He said: "One of the most significant moments in my life was The Housemartins signing the record contract with Go! Discs on the Adelphi stage in June 1985.
"The Adelphi had been a very important part of building the band's audience.
"The occasion of the signing was the culmination of many months of hard work, especially by Paul (Heaton) and Stan (Cullimore), but it was in recognition of the importance of the club for the band, and the support of Paul Jackson, that we decided to set up the event – and also it would be a bit of fun and something special for the fans."
Housemartins guitarist Stan Cullimore has since gone on to become a children's author.
He is appearing at Beverley Library on Saturday (at noon) as part of the town's literature festival.
However, when asked by the Mail about the Housemartins rumours, he said: "I know nothing about a reunion."
But whether or not Whitaker and Cook reunite on stage with Heaton on Sunday, the gig promises to be another landmark occasion for the legendary venue.• Tickets for Sunday's show have sold out. Visit theadelphi.com for more details.
