The second annual North Lancs Soul Festival will attract soul music fans from all over the country to Morecambe from this Friday (April 25) to Sunday (April 27) for a packed programme of soul music located at three of the town's pubs and clubs.

And the licensees at the York Hotel, the Bath Hotel and Smokey O'Connor's (formerly Smokey Joe's) say they will welcome the 'soulies' with open arms.

"It's great for Morecambe and it's a landlord's heaven," said Mick Dennison, licensee of the York Hotel.

"We've got people staying here from Scotland, Wakefield, Birmingham, Brighton, York and Carlisle. We've been turning people away to the B&Bs in Morecambe.

"Smokey's and the Bath will benefit too, we're spreading it around and that's how it should be.

"I love soul music – I was a St Barnabas Youth Club, Dixieland Bar and Central Pier boy – but then I left Morecambe with the army. Since I came back I've got right back into it."

The York will host live music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday expected to be especially packed because Lincoln City football fans will also be gathering there ahead of their League Two match at Morecambe, while Sunday's event will also celebrate soul fan and DJ Sean Treacy's 50th birthday.

The York Bridge pub will also have a special food menu and their new outdoor patio open.

The Bath Hotel on Northumberland Street will also feature music on all three days.

Susan Makin from the Bath said: "It will be a good weekend.

"We had it last year and there was a good turn-out. The soul fans are a happy crowd and this weekend is all for them."

Morecambe's Seaside Soul Club, who will organise the event, will provide plenty of the music with soul tunes from the Motown era right through to present day.

There are also top soul DJs attending from all over the country.

Smokey O'Connor's on Morecambe Street will host the pivotal event of the festival, the Seaside Soul Club night on Saturday.

Sean O'Connor, licensee of Smokey O'Connor's (not to be confused with the other Sean O'Connor, one of the organisers and DJs from the Seaside Soul Club!) said: "It looks like we're the new regular home for the Seaside Soul Club – they are really impressed with our sprung dancefloor.

"There are people coming from all over so it should be a good do. I'm not a soul fan myself but some of our members are really looking forward to it."

There will be record bars available all weekend selling soulful vinyl 45s, 12"s and LPs.

For details on the weekend's events log on to www.seasidesoul.co.uk

FESTIVAL FACTS

weekend DJ line-up:

FRIDAY
York Hotel
2pm Seaside Soul's Duffs; 3pm Brett Franklin; 4pm Paul Thrower; 5pm Steve Handbury; 6pm Alan Barnes; 7pm Seaside Soul's Sean T, Charlie D; 8pm Kevin Oxberry; 9pm Seaside Soul's Sean O; 10pm Steve Edgar; 11pm Terry Gee; midnight-2am Bob Smith and Shaun Robbins

Bath Hotel
2pm Seaside Soul's Sean O'Connor; 3pm; Wakefield City Soul; 5pm Seaside Soul's Duffs; 6pm Paul Collins; 7pm Terry Gee; 8pm Paul Jones and Sean Milward; 9pm Alan Barnes; 10pm Brett Franklin; 11pm Kim and Stuart; midnight Seaside Soul's Funky Tony and the night owls; 1am to 2am Seaside Soul's Duffs and the night owls

SATURDAY
York Hotel
10am Gary Johnson; 11am Shaun Robbins and Bob Smith; noon Paul Thrower; 1pm Kevin Oxberry; 2pm Zane Hunter; 3pm Steve Handbury; 4pm Paul Jones and Sean Milward

Bath Hotel
noon Paul Collins; 1pm Wakefield City Soul; 2pm Alan Barnes; 3pm Shaun Robbins and Bob Smith; 4pm Joe's Bar Session, Nev and Harry; 5pm Brett Franklin; 6pm Gary Johnson; 7pm Kevin Oxberry; 8pm Paul Thrower; 9pm Neil Grainger; 10pm Steve Edgar; 11pm; Geoff Claxton and Dave Gillett; 1am The Night Owls all
join in

Seaside Soul Club at Smokey O'Connors
5pm Seaside Soul; 6pm Wakefield City Soul and Paul Collins; 7pm Seaside Soul; 7.30pm Terry Gee; 8.30pm Seaside Soul; 9pm Flanny and Steve Connor; 10pm Seaside Soul; 10.30pm Steve Plumb and Barry Maleady; midnight Wakefield City Soul; 1am to 2am Seaside Soul

SUNDAY
Bath Hotel
noon Seaside Soul – Si Attwood and Duffs; 1pm Geoff Claxton; 2pm Dave Gillett; 3pm Seaside Soul – Charlie and Sean T; 4pm Kim and Stuart; 5pm Seaside Soul – Si Attwood and Duffs; 6.30pm-8.30pm Soul Select Band

York Hotel
Celebrating Sean Treacy's 50th Birthday; Sunday Soul Selection breakfast, dinner and soulful vibes all day; 10am Zane Hunter; 11amPaul Thrower; noon Shaun Robbins and Bob Smith; 2pm Kevin Oxberry and Paul Collins; 3pm Terry Gee; 4pm Joes Bar – Nev and Harry; 5pm Brett Franklin; 6pm Roger Williams; 7pm Seaside Soul – Funky T and Charlie D; 8pm Paul Jones and Sean Milward; 9pm Wakefield City Soul;
10pm Steve Edgar and Steve Handbury; 11pm to
midnight Seaside Soul's Sean O'Connor and Sean T