THIS shows how the face of York will be transformed by the arrival of a Wetherspoons pub. As the artist's impression shows, Piccadilly's Travelodge will be barely recognisable once the pub chain has moved in.

Okay, okay, so Wetherspoons' artwork lacks imagination. No surprise there. This chain of pubs is not known for creative thinking: it does the same thing wherever it goes. The good news is that the unchanging formula works. It offers a choice of proper beer in a good atmosphere at reasonable prices. Who knows, this might even force down prices at competing pubs.

When the Postern Gate/Wetherspoons opens its double doors in March or April next year the bar will stock a sizeable range of real ales, with occasional beer festivals to follow.

Wetherspoons is the chain that likes to say 'no', so expect no-smoking areas, no music, no pool tables and no arcade machines.

While all Wetherspoon pubs might be the same, that still does not stop some punters from being surprised by its policies.

Bar Talk witnessed an incident at the Wetherspoons in Scarborough when a rather arrogant, cigar-smoking older gentleman walked to the bar to order a scotch.

Staff pointed out that he couldn't smoke within the non-carpeted area at the bar. The man proceeded to step back on to the carpet and blow heavy clouds of cigar smoke on to staff trying to serve other customers. Charming.

After a good five minutes of this, he swore again. And then left. Presumably never to return.

- CRAFT brewers are being squeezed out of most British pubs. So says North Yorkshire brewer Nick Stafford, of Hambleton Ales in Harrogate, home to wonderful beers such as Stallion and Nightmare.

He is also chairman of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA). In the Good Beer Guide 2002 (published this week by CAMRA, £12.99) he writes that SIBA, which represents most of the 400 British small craft brewers, has negotiated supply deals with two pub companies, Unique and Enterprise Inns.

"But no other national pub group, such as Punch or Pubmaster, have made similar commitments to small brewers' products. The consumer doesn't know what he or she is missing when it comes to the real ale being produced by Britain's smallest brewers.

"Pub groups now control 58 per cent of the pubs in Britain. Add to that the big brewers' national and tenanted pubs, and the percentage of pubs closed to small brewers rises to 73 per cent."

This stranglehold is forcing up the price of a pint, he writes, as well as denying choice.

"Just think of the number of times small brewers win the coveted Champion Beer of Britain awards and the beers are then not seen on the bars of the local pubs round the corner from the winning breweries."

The answer, he argues, is for pub groups to allow their retailers to buy one guest ale of their choice from an independent supplier.

Wise words. Next time you pop in to a Punch, Pubmaster etc pub, for a pint of beer that isn't what you really want at a price that you do not feel happy paying, you might raise this point with the landlord.

- SAM Smith's excellent Organic Best Ale has won another award.

In the summer the Tadcaster-brewed beer was named Best Vegetarian Beverage by the UK Vegetarian Society.

Now Organic Best Ale has become the joint winner in the alcoholic drinks section of the Soil Association's Organic Food Awards (it tied with Circle Master Organic Ale at Wychwood Brewery, Oxfordshire).

The malted barley, cane sugar and aromatic hops, used by Sam Smith's to brew the beer, are all organically grown by registered farmers. Conclusive proof that beer is not only good for you, it's good for the planet.