IT has been a week of beer-soaked highs and water-sodden lows for Jim and Eric at the York Beer and Wine Shop in Fulford.

First Jim travelled to a posh London hotel to collect a sparkling plaque of recognition after the shop reached the final three in the Independent Beer Retailer of the Year awards.

Then he returned home to find his Sandringham Street shop windows steamed up, water coming through the ceiling and stock floating across the floor.

An accident with a bath full of water and a flowing tap in the flat above had left the beer and wine store stocking more liquid than ever before.

Eric said the water ruined their electronic wizzo till, affected the overhead lights and doused the cigarette and sweet stock. The duo spent Sunday night and all day Monday clearing up the mess before reopening as usual on Tuesday.

He said: "Jim walked past and thought the steamed-up windows were the result of a couple getting frisky behind the counter. But unsurprisingly, that wasn't the case.

"We have got all the flooding captured on the shop's CCTV - we're thinking of marketing it as a disaster movie."

(Bar Talk notes that a "horrible yellow liquid" left in Jim and Eric's prized collection of beer glasses as the water level subsided wasn't old Rumple's Fugglestumper ale.)

Jim said the unexpected flood hadn't dampened his trip to the big smoke and he was still chuffed to bits about the accolade.

He said the gong must be an early birthday present for the beer emporium which will finally reach the age of consent in May.

"I think the award is for our devotion and commitment in the face of a great deal of difficulty with competition from other chains and supermarkets," he said.

Well, many happy returns and we'll raise our glasses here at Bar Talk to another successful 18 years of trading for the one and only pint-sized York Beer Shop.

u FARMERS everywhere have had it tough recently, and that even includes the Jolly Farmers at Leavening, near Malton.

Lunchtime trade has never recovered since the foot-and-mouth outbreak, and so the former Evening Press Pub of the Year winner has stopped opening in the day time on weekdays.

After 11 years building up the pub, John and Janet Parkinson are also taking the opportunity to have some time off. But, promises John, life at the pub in the evening and at weekends will be livelier than ever.

An extra night of cooking has been added on Tuesdays, and they are opening an hour earlier on Fridays, at 6pm.

John will use his daytimes to work on new projects for the pub and to "get a life back".

The changes won't affect his commitment to real ale. As we spoke, the pub had Innkeeper's Special Reserve (Coach House Brewery, Warrington) in, followed by Badger's Tanglefoot.

Updated: 09:03 Saturday, February 15, 2003