Do androids drink electric lager?

Anyone who likes the odd drink will be aware of the poor quality of bar-staff in these times of near-full employment. Only the Australians and New Zealanders appear to be keeping up the proud traditions of decent service, clean glasses and witty banter – at least in London.

The rest, by and large, seem to be surly, dim and occasionally smelly. The Diary was very happy, then, when news arrived of a gin and tonic-mixing robot owned by Rainier PR.

This being summer, the Diary’s thoughts do often tend to a tipple or three, and a boozebot would be the ideal desktop toy. Imagine the groans of despair, then, at the revelation that the machine takes six (six!) minutes to mix a single drink. Marketing Week’s editorial staff would be into their third round by then… well some of them anyway!