I'm getting a bit fed up with stereotypes.  The other day, we hadn't thought of somewhere to go for a quick drink before work's party so I suggested The Wellington near Snow Hill.

It's a quality establishment - an ever-changing array of ales (usually 15 on the go at once) and even plates on the side for you to bring your takeaway food in if you're feeling peckish.

My argument is thus - why do people automatically dismiss this place?  I reckon it's the 'real ale pub' stigma.  The problem with this label is that people don't actually understand what the hell they're on about.  Yet they're happy to sink pint after pint of samey lager in some pretentious shit hole with the same atmosphere as every other pretentious shit hole on the same stretch of road (e.g. Broad Street in Brum, Deansgate Locks in Manchester.  In short, a road full of overdressed and mainly extremely intoxicated revellers).

I will not accept the fact that such places are 'nice' for reasons stated in an earlier blog.  They're a cheap and easy excuse to try and fit in.  Maybe my taste in pubs for a 26 year old is out of the ordinary?  It's certainly 'uncool' according to my supposed peers.  If that's the case, and my preference of going to a pub for the main reason of sampling different drinks is 'uncool' then get me one of those wooly jumpers and pipes I hear them go on about.  I care not.

I won't dispel a myth here - in real ale pubs you do sometimes get old men with beards sitting in a corner with a tank top marking their drinks out of 10.  But you also get perfectly normal people who have manners.  I'd much rather be in the company of the jumpers and pipes than testosterone-filled arseholes who have 2 goals from the evening - a) to get off with an equally stuck up overdressed tart and b) to fight anyone or anything who gets in the way of goal a) which includes anyone wearing a police uniform or carrying a white stick.

Hell - if this is what society is gearing up to be, I'd better make my choice - please fetch me my pipe.  I'm off to M&S for a jumper and I intend to grow a nice, long, curly yet unkempt beard.

A message to anyone guilty of not giving pubs like the Wellington a try - maybe - just maybe - you're missing out on a nice, friendly atmosphere where, rather importantly in my opinion, the drinks are excellent.  You might just find a new favourite tipple.