Prestwich councillors have insisted Heaton Park is “not suitable” for hosting such large events, insisting the gigs need to be “held in a stadium”. Two days before the first gig kicked off, councillors on Bury Council said: “From day one, we believe Heaton Park is not a suitable venue and that the concerts should be held in a stadium.”

£25,000 was granted to Manchester Council to compensate for the disruption caused by the gigs, which will be distributed among community groups. Bury Council branded the amount a “pittance”, adding: “We have stated we want over £100,000 due to the extra days of disruption these 5 concerts may cause. We believe ticket sales alone for the Heaton Park concerts have raised well in excess of £50,000,000.”

A helpline has been set up for anyone with issues related to the concerts, with 340,000 attendees expected over the five nights.