YORK’S new-look Barbican centre has taken meat off the menu for the arrival of rock legend Morrissey tonight.

The former frontman of The Smiths will be the biggest name to appear at the refurbished venue since it reopened earlier this year and his gig is a sell-out.

But the singer, who is a passionate vegetarian and campaigner for animal rights who, with his former band, released an album entitled Meat Is Murder, has requested that a purely vegetarian menu is provided at the Barbican for his show.

The decision was publicised on the venue’s Facebook page.

As a result, vegetarian dishes available at the Barbican’s Fishergate restaurant will include wild mushroom risotto and goat’s cheese and caramelised red onion pizza.