Sup up for City

A photographer from the Daily Telegraph was popping his flash at everything that moved. And Bar Talk was wedged in between, trying to catch the eye of the barman.

This media circus was prompted by the launch of Save City Ale.

The Three Legged Mare, as it is more properly known, has been at the forefront of alcoholic efforts to support threatened York City.

Last week, the High Petergate pub was the first in York to take supplies of Fisherrow Brewery's Minstermen 'R' Bitter. This was created up in Edinburgh by Fisherrow boss and City fan David Murray. It went down a treat.

Now York Brewery, owners of the Mare, has brought out its own Bootham Crescent brew.

At four per cent, Save City Ale is for "quaffing", according to brewery boss Tony Thomson. It is a "balanced and malty beer with a hoppy, bitter aftertaste". Perfect for washing away the bad taste left in many City fans' mouths by recent developments.

The pump clip design is based on the Evening Press Save City campaign logo, created by our graphic artist Lisa Cook.

As with Minstermen 'R' Bitter, 10p from every pint sold will go to the Supporters' Trust fund.

Landlord of the Three Legged Mare, James Butler, said some City fans regularly come in before and after games. But the special beers have also raised awareness of the club's plight among non-sporting regulars.

He urged everyone to "sup up for City", but was unsure if sales of Save City Ale alone would raise the £4.5 million needed to buy the club.

"It could be done, but it would take 300 years and six months," he said,

Save City Ale is also going on sale at York Brewery's other pub, the Last Drop Inn, Colliergate, and at The Maltings, Tanners Moat, and the Swan, Clementhorpe.

Any other pub that wants to support the campaign can order supplies of Save City Ale from the brewery, on 01904 621162.

ON Wednesday, we reported the case of the amazing appearing/disappearing yellow lines outside Mike Wilks' pub, The Saddle Inn in Fulford, York.

They had been painted in error and were later burnt off the road. But one short section remained because a car was in the way.

Well, we have found a home for those unwelcome double yellows.

"They should roll them up from outside the Saddle and unroll them outside here," says Stan Lucas, your host at the Waggon and Horses, Lawrence Street.

He has been left baffled by events on his road. Double yellow lines have been painted outside the entrance to the Rose and Crown car park, just along the way. But they have not been applied outside the Waggon's car park entrance.

The other day, said Stan, a car was parked blocking the entrance for four hours, preventing any customers driving into the car park, and him from driving out.

He called the police, but they said there was nothing they could do, because the offending vehicle was not parked on double yellows.

Stan has contacted the council about the fiasco and is waiting to hear back.

Meanwhile, he has been doing some sums. Having seen our report in Business Press that pub group Wetherspoons is to pay £87,750 a year in rent to open a branch in the Travelodge, Piccadilly, he worked out that this would cost about £1,690 a week.

If he ever opened his own city centre bar at the same rates "it would cost about £16 a pint" he said, ruefully.

Updated: 08:53 Saturday, January 26, 2002