Madge's no real-ale virgin
by Claire Hu Pop icon Madonna has revealed she is a huge fan of traditional pubs and real ale, especially Timothy Taylor's. The star, speaking in a BBC interview with Jonathan Ross last week about life in London, revealed there was nothing she liked better than donning a flat cap and popping down to her local for a half of Landlord. It's an enormous boost for the small West Yorkshire brewer, which produces an award-winning range of beers including Landlord, Golden Best and Best Bitter but does not have an advertising budget. Madonna, who is married to film director Guy Ritchie and lives in a £6m townhouse near Oxford Street, said her husband had educated her on the joys of cask beer but admitted she was a complete lightweight. She said: "I became one of those English drunken girls. All it takes is half a pint. I'm a cheap date. You don't have to take me anywhere fancy. I was last drunk a couple of days ago. We went to the Dog and Duck in Soho. I wear flat caps and I speak low and order a pint of Timothy Taylor." She later again praised her favourite tipple, saying: "I have learned to love real ale. Timothy Taylor's the best real ale." Endorsement by an A-list celebrity such as Madonna is thought to be worth millions. Charles Dent, managing director of Keighley-based Timothy Taylor Brewery, which owns 22 pubs, called Madonna a "splendid" woman and said all his staff were thrilled. He said: "We are very honoured and would love to invite her up to see the brewery. Having someone like her, God bless her, saying they like traditional pubs and ale is fabulous for all of us in brewing. "We don't have an advertising budget as we put all our money into our ingredients and we hope the beers speak for themselves." Dent was, however, considering changing the strapline on company vans which used to read For Men of the North and then changed to Originally Brewed for Men of the North following pressure from female staff to Brewed for Men of the North and Now Liked by Madonna. Alison Wernet, manager of the Mitchells and Butlers-owned Dog and Duck in Bateman Street, said Madonna had visited twice. "They had a quiet drink in the corner and she drank Timothy Taylor's," she said. Mike Benner, of the Campaign for Real Ale, said it was huge boost for the real ale and pub trade. "We will be asking her to become a judge in our Champion Beer of Britain contest, " he said. "At a time when we are trying to make ale more appealing to women, having an icon like Madonna saying she thinks it's a great product has made our day.
