Filthy trick with the stout?

Whitbread took over Filthy MacNasty’s Irish pub in Islington for the press launch of the innovative Murphy’s-in-a-bottle-with-a-widget. A traditional Irish band played, and Joe Rooney, star of the Bartle Bogle Hegarty “I’m not bitter” campaign came along too.

One journalist, who presumably considered himself quite a wag, ordered a pint of Guinness, to be told that the pub only sold Murphy’s. “That’s funny,” the scribe mused, “last time I came in here you had Guinness.” The Murphy’s founthead looked rather new and shiny, compared to the pub’s downbeat, designer-dirt decor. “How long have you been selling Murphy’s?” asked the hack. “‘Fraid I can’t comment on that,” the barman replied.