STEADY, ladies. Pogo and Meatloaf, the George Clooney and Russell Crowe of the beer drinking world, are back on the box next week.

After their triumph on The Girlie Show in 1997, the York real ale connoisseurs are set for a multi-media blitz next week.

This is also good news for their favourite hostelry, The Maltings, Tanners Moat, York, as it has been somewhat publicity starved of late.

Pogo (aka Paul Illingsworth) and Meatloaf (aka Chris Bell) feature in the Tyne Tees television show Kluz's Obsessions on Tuesday at 7.30pm.

During the programme, the pair initiated presenter Alan Kluz into the exotic world of beer ticking.

This is the practice of sampling as many different real ales as possible, ticking each off as you go. Pogo has ticked 7,000, Meatloaf 5,500.

Part of the programme was filmed at The Maltings' last beer festival, put together as always by landlord Shaun Collinge, where the lads added many ticks to their ledgers.

As well as Kluz's Obsessions, Chris and Paul are due to appear in the Daily Star, More and Chat magazines, and possibly Granada TV's Homes and Gardens.

When Bar Talk suggested they needed an agent, Chris replied: "We've got one - he's called Shaun."

He added: "You've heard of Ant and Dec. Look out for Pogo and Meatloaf!"

u THE first 'artbar' ever to open in York did so yesterday.

"There are so many caf-bars, we wanted to be something different, with our monthly art exhibitions," said joint owner Andy Osborne.

A blue neon sign above the bar proudly proclaims 'Artbar' and exhibitions on the walls confirm this fact.

But this isn't a new place - it is the re-opened and re-branded Victor J's Artbar, on Finkle Street, York.

At a glittering opening this week, regular punters were surprised and delighted to see the bar move from the centre of the yellow place, to the corner of the red and yellow place.

With new seats, repainted walls and a much improved 'chill' area, the place looks more spacious and generally a lot cleaner and more welcoming.

Owners Vicky Frame and Jennifer Osborne proudly showed off their new product at the opening do to regulars and Press, and said they were looking forward to the "real test".

"It's free drinks tonight," said Vicky, "so everyone is having a great time. But I admit I am a little tense about what it is going to be like when we are open for real."

Well, Vicky, we at Bar Talk don't think you have anything to worry about. Your bar is clean, smart, funky and sells wonderful breaded mushrooms and decent draught beer. Keep working hard and we are sure you will win the battle against the coffee shop chains that have invaded the city.

u YOU'D think a trip to Australia would be a good way of escaping the flooding that hit York - but it was not so for Paul Clarey of Lawrence Street's Rose & Crown.

His trip back to his antipodean homeland coincided nicely with day one of the floods.

No doubt feeling smug as his sister and fellow licensee Georgia told of the incessant rain, his gloating was cut short.

After two days of sunshine, torrential rain started falling in Australia too, washing out part of his holiday. No barbies for him them.