Wigan musician who helped raise £18,000 for local pub has new single top the charts
Joe Astley, a local musician from Wigan, has released a new single that topped the charts, with all proceeds going to a local pub he helped raise £18,000 for after a devastating fire, which was sparked by an arson attack on August 4.
A local musician who has helped a much-loved Wigan pub get back on their feet has now had major success with his latest single.
Joe Astley, 30, has played a vital part in raising funds for The John Bull Chophouse, a Grade II-listed pub which sadly succumbed to a fire on August 4.
Joe said: “I have been hard at work these last three months in raising money for Wigan’s beloved John Bull Chop House which was devastated by an arson attack. That’s when I started the Save The Chop House campaign which has been a relentless effort, I have really gotten to see how amazing Wigan really is these last few months.
“I have been out every week, playing my guitar around town collecting money for the staff, putting on events, selling thousands of pounds worth of t-shirts and merchandise, writing to authorities (including the Prime Minister, who was kind enough to send letter in reply) and contributing in any way I can to the fundraiser which alone has raised over £18,000 since I started it on the morning of the fire.”
“It has been truly amazing to see how people have rallied together these last few months, with every week at every gig I play, all our John Bull family turning out in their save the chop house t-shirts, singing all the songs, being there for each other. There has been real sense of unity and togetherness which I can’t remember feeling in my lifetime and I am so proud to be a part of.”
As a musician, Joe has already seen success with his first album which reached Number 1 in the Apple Singer-Songwriter charts in 2024.
Now, whilst doing all the work for The John Bull Chop House, Joe has been working away here in Wigan on his second album.
Joe said: “I released my first single since, with all proceeds being donated to the John Bull, and thanks to the amazing people of Wigan, we topped the chart again!
“The new single Until Man Bans the Bombs was released at midnight on Friday (October 23) and actually entered the chart at Number 1 and slipped down throughout the day to Number 7, until later that evening when it reclaimed to Number 1 spot again, twice in the same day!
“I wrote the song just two days before the fire and posted a video of me playing it in my garden which was received very well, and decided I had to get it out as soon as possible, so I recorded it myself in my own living room in Wigan.”
When Joe found out he had topped the charts, he said: “I was overwhelmed at first because when I woke up it had already done it. I’m really proud of it and this has been a really good start, so I couldn’t have asked for better than that.”
The song Until Man Bans the Bombs is the leading single from the album, Doomsday which will be released in early 2027.
Additionally, the link for The John Bull Chophouse is still live for donations: https://gofund.me/89b05a0bf