Paul McCartney bans leather on tour

Staunch vegetarian Sir Paul McCartney bans leather on all of his tours.

The Beatles star, who is a keen animal rights activist, refuses to travel in limousines with leather seats and he also demands venue bosses remove all furniture with animal skin covers or prints from his dressing room.

In a copy of his backstage rider, obtained by Thesmokinggun.com, McCartney also bans meat and "all meat by-products" from the venue, insisting all food served there must be vegetarian.

McCartney also insists on having just natural wooden furniture in his backstage area because "nothing can be glass or lacquer".

The musician also provides very specific instructions for the floral arrangements he requires, demanding bouquets of white lillies, white and pink roses, two arrangements of freesia, as well as weeping eucalyptus, loose gardenias, two gardenia pot plants and a bunch of wild flowers. The flower arrangements must cost at least around £122.

The document states, "Paul McCartney is very fond of flowers... It is very important you use a florist that is reputable."

He also asks for six floor plants which are at least six-foot high and two which are four-foot, suggesting venue bosses buy "palm, bamboo, peace lillies etc (but) no tree trunks."