The Pound Pub has arrived.

A 'no frills' pub is to sell a pint of lager for only £1.50 per pint and £1 per half state newspaper reports today. The Pound Pub will open in Stockton-on-Tees with a second pub planned for Atherton just outside Manchester. Cue gnashing of teeth by the health lobby.

I do have a bit of a problem with two half pint costing 50% more than a pint which could encourage excessive drinking. I presume that none of the beers on offer will be the latest 'must have' offering from our coolest craft breweries nor can I imagine that any brewery can provide cask beer to be sold so cheaply. So I'll pass thanks.

The most influential brewery in the country

According to Radio 2 tonight the answer to that question is........................................... Marstons! This was the lead in to a rather vacuous piece concerning their new Revisionist range.  Pretty obvious answer I'm sure you'll agree.

The journalist who was spouting the publicity blub annoyed me by insisting in pronouncing the brewery as 'Marztons.'

What the cool kids are drinking

The Oxton Bar and Grill is unsurprisingly, in Oxton, which is one of the oldest districts of Birkenhead. A number of late Georgian and early Victorian mansions and cottages survive and there is a slightly upmarket, village feel which is untypical of this decaying town.

The bar will be a new entrant to the GBG in 2015 but after a perfectly good pint from the local Peerless brewery I was attracted by a keg offering of the sort that is rare in Wirral - Flying Dog Doggie-style. Very good it was too, but it was after ordering that I noticed the chalk board. The heading stated 'What the cool kids are drinking', listing a wine, a spirit and the afore-mentioned Doggie-style.

So it's official. Craft beer is for the young and cool. Like me.