Trust Katie!

The gruesome kids' show is based in an old school building at a mystery location where contestants are filmed taking part in various horrible challenges - all in the name of summer holiday TV.

York's young thespian, whose greatest fears are spiders and sharks, has so far survived walking about in Wellington boots full of cockroaches and eating worms.

She may be well prepared for the experience because she once told her friend to put Tiger Balm under her eyes - making her cry.

Punters have been keeping their mobile phone texting fingers busy voting for Katie, Bar Talk is told, probably because she will have to stand them all a few drinks if she wins.

And manager of the Winning Post in Bishopthorpe Road, York, Craig Norrie, says constant promotion through posters and announcements is already paying dividends.

"She's looking good so far, we've just got our fingers crossed for her," he said.

Long-serving York band Stone Cold Sober are in on the gag too, pushing Katie's chances during their weekly Sunday evening set. Trash TV-loving Bar Talk raises its glass to a young lady who clearly has pints of courage. Cast your vote, and snigger at her picture, at www.trouble.co.uk/cruel/

LENDAL Live at, yes you've guessed it, York's Lendal Cellars, has a formidable line-up of 25 different acts playing 19 sets a day this Bank Holiday weekend.

The festival, which takes place from 1pm on Sunday and Monday, is an expansion of the city centre pub's weekly Friday night live music slot.

Manager Jo Mills says she is keen to give the venue a "kick start" and that the weekend promises to be chock-full of top-quality acts.

A small stage is going to be set up in the pub's rear yard and tunes will be piped inside too, technology allowing.

Money raised from a raffle and other competitions will be given to York District Hospital's intensive care unit, the pub's nominated charity.

To keep listeners well-watered the bar is offering up to eight cask ales with award-winning Caledonian Deuchars, as well as Wadworths 6X and Timothy Taylor's Landlord currently on tap.

We will drink to that!

YORK Races have taken the city's hostelries by storm this week, not least of those under the thirsty cosh being The Maltings on the well-trodden route to the railway station.

But that doesn't explain how they managed to run out of gin on Wednesday night. The reason? "We're a real ale pub, we can't help it if all the posh race-goers want to drink spirits," we overheard at the Tanners Moat boozer.

EVER been overawed by choice at the off-licence?

Well Bar Talk may have spotted the ideal solution for the wine drinkers among you.

Those less than expert at selecting the ideal fermented grape variety may appreciate the return of the "lucky dip" bin at Piccadilly's Oddbins beer and wine shop.

In the bin are a selection of wines at about a fiver, wrapped up in paper with nothing to show for themselves but colour and price.

Couldn't be simpler.

Staff at the shop say the attraction is back by popular demand and, with the tongue-drying choice of wine on sale, that's no surprise to us.

GOOD to hear that the drive to stock a better class of lager, aka "fancy foreign muck", at Helperby's Half Moon Inn is attracting plenty of custom.

Now showing in the fridge are Australian lagers including Carlton Crown and Carlton Cold and some Canadian stuff featuring a moose, or so the blurb says.

Pity the poor ITV Digital Monkey mascot which has been wrenched away from the banana liqueur and left clutching a pair of antlers behind the bar.

And pity a little the new managers who took it upon themselves to taste test a case of Desperados Mexican lager-mix, featuring strong lager and tequila. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Updated: 10:46 Saturday, August 24, 2002