PLEASE refill your glasses, preferably with Terrier or Stonewall, and join Bar Talk in a toast: to Tony Thomson and Julie Midwood.

The York Brewery supremo is engaged to be married after Julie took advantage of Leap Year Day to propose to him.

Tony and Julie have been an item since they met in court about five years ago. They were not defendants, we hasten to add: both were applying for drinks licences, Julie for the B&B she ran then, Riverside on Earlsborough Terrace.

Love at first sight would be an exaggeration, Tony confesses. "I don't think she was very impressed with me to start with.

"It took a little time to realise how okay I was."

Fortunately, Julie, who is in the middle of building a house in Strensall, is a fan of good beer, and Tony was able to woo her with creations from his Toft Green brewing empire. "She loves Yorkshire Terrier and Centurion Ghost Ale," he said.

Although the proposal came out of the blue, Tony was not without his suspicions last Sunday.

"It occurred to me that it was the 29th. And it was a bit unusual for her to ask me to go for a meal. So there was an inkling there," he said.

"But it still was a bit of a surprise."

Once at the swish Hazlewood Castle, Julie did not hang about, popping the question over pre-grub drinks.

"I think she was hedging her bets. She wasn't going to pay for a meal if I said no," Tony joked.

Happily he said yes and they toasted the moment with a nice Chianti. ("They don't sell our beer there. I must do something about that," the brewer mused).

The wedding is pencilled in for April or May next year, again at Hazlewood Castle. That will be a family affair, followed by a big bash in the brewery, if Tony can organise it.

And he hasn't thought much about the honeymoon, aside from ruling out Bar Talk's suggestion of a drinking tour around local breweries.

"I've got to sort out my stag do first," he said.

Tony and Julie's children are delighted for them, and so are we.

MEANWHILE you can sample half a pint of York Brewery's finest as part of special science tours being organised for the Festival of Discovery.

The tours are at 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm, Monday to Saturday, between March 9 and 21. And half a bitter is included in the price. More from the brewery on (01904) 621162.

FINALLY on this subject: city planners, what are you thinking? York Brewery's three pubs, the Last Drop Inn, the Three-Legged Mare and the Rook and Gaskill, have proved to be real assets for York, traditional, trouble-free pubs selling great beer. So why block a fourth in Stonegate?

Bar Talk is right behind Tony's determination to try again. But we shudder to think what grisly, execution-inspired name he eventually dreams up for it.

Updated: 08:48 Saturday, March 06, 2004