WOULD you buy beer from this man? Well if you would, we suggest you buy 2 MAD, the second in his range of limited edition strong ales - brewed exclusively for the Maltings, Tanner's Moat, York.

The second Maltings Alternative Dome brew is a whopping seven per cent ABV and is a rich, full- flavoured, four-malt brew, with a well-balanced bitterness to allow you to enjoy it the full, apparently.

The bottled beer, carrying the moniker, "a dome is for life not just for the Millennium", is selling well and Bar Talk can heartily recommend it.

Unlike the ill-fated erection in London, Shaun Collinge has promised his Dome is not going to be sold as a business park. But it will probably get more visitors.

u ANY pub making a New Year's resolution to treat customers fairly and courteously should consider following the example of the Three Cups at Stamford Bridge.

At 2.50pm on January 1, Bar Talk and three close acquaintances staggered in a little worse for wear after just waking up following the night's festivities.

We ordered food and drinks - soft, due to the hangovers.

A good three-quarters of an hour later we were still lacking our food, a wait made more unbearable as three of us had resolved not to smoke, our usual waiting-for-a-meal pastime.

Bar Talk asked about the food to be told "it is on its way".

But ten minutes later no sign. The barman was again more approached and to bridge the gap until the food arrives a round of complimentary drinks was offered.

And by the time the four drinks - alcoholic this time - were back at the table, so was the food.

A bad situation had been made good by thoughtful barmanship.

Keep it up for the New Year - and, by the way, lovely Chicken Arrabiatta.

u NEW Year hilarity gave James Butler, custodian of the York Brewery's Last Drop Inn, a chance to prove he goes beyond the pale to help his customers.

A rather drunken group of youngsters was making merry on New Year's Eve in the real ale pub - although none of them actually were drinking real ale - when a quandary arose.

What were the Twelve Days Of Christmas?

After much imbibed singing and lots of thinking and asking both customers and staff, the group were still stumped. Even Mr Butler didn't know.

The group then left the pub, making their way to another couple of establishments before a trip to York Minster.

With the Twelve Days Of Christmas firmly forgotten about, the revellers had a fantastic time, drinking a magnum of Belgian beer Duvel outside the Minster.

But on a staggering trip back across town, the group wandered past the Last Drop Inn, where landlord James was covering the door.

To everyone's surprise, he stopped the drunks and gave them three sheets of paper, which were forgotten about until the next morning.

Much to everyone's surprise, it was a print-out of the Twelve Days of Christmas - complete with illustrations.

Now that is what being a landlord is all about.

u KEEN on giving up smoking for New Year? Still fancy a decent pub without fear of being tempted back to your evil ways? Then the Golden Fleece is for you.

A rigorously enforced non-smoking policy in the main bar should be enough to keep your resolution going well into the New Year.

Unlike other pubs where those around you may influence you into having a cheeky fag, the Golden Fleece is a safehouse for the redeemed smoker.

Those of you who don't smoke at all can also go there, but then you can go anywhere without being tempted.

But there is no sign of a let up for 20-a-day landlord Andy Yuill, who will continue to puff away well into 2001, though not in the main bar.