SPECTATOR enjoyed an entertaining lunch at Countryside Live in the company of Yorkshire Agricultural Society chairman Simon Theakston.

Now that name has a certain resonance in Yorkshire beer circles and Mr Theakston, as well as holding high office at the YAS, is executive director of the Masham brewery which bears the family name.As we spoke last Sunday, Mr Theakston remarked that it was nine years to the day since he and other family members managed to buy back the brewery as an independently-owned entity.

He also mentioned that the brewery was putting the finishing touches to its very first Christmas ale and the extraordinary story behind it.

Theakston’s has never produced a festive ale but recently Mr Theakston found he was in receipt of a large number of email messages from the US enquiring as to how supplies of Theakston’s Christmas ale could be obtained.

It turned out that a passing reference had been made to the then non-existent ale in an episode of the hugely popular US TV drama NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service).

Quite why an American scriptwriter chose to include this reference is a mystery, but Theakston’s bottled beers are available Stateside. Another possible connection is the brewery’s sponsorship of the annual crime-writing festival held in Harrogate. Could a writer have picked the name up there?

Whatever the reason, Mr Theakston thought perhaps it was time Theakston’s did produce just such a beer. It should be available shortly.

Cross Country humanity Spectator would like to thank the Cross Country train guard who showed a harassed man some welcome humanity last Friday morning.

Arriving late at Darlington station, and faced with a queue at the ticket office, Spectator thought he would use one of the touchscreen ticket machines.

The “Return to York” button brought up a bewildering range of ticket options, just as Spectator’s train was pulling into view on paltform 1. In a panic, he punched the first likely-looking option (£48 no less?), put the debit card in, punched the pin number, grabbed the tickets and receipt and raced for the train, just stepping aboard as the doors closed.

On aboard, a seat was found at the end of the carriage, handy for the toilet where Spectator was when the guard passed along the train asking to see tickets from Darlington.

When the guard returned, Spectator having resumed his seat, the ticket was duly proffered as the guard swept by.

“There are two problems with your ticket,” he said. “Firstly, it is a first class ticket and you are sitting in a second class carriage. Secondly, this ticket is not valid for this train. You have bought an East Coast ticket and this is a Cross Country train.”

Spectator looked at the guard. Perhaps it was the crazed looked in his eye, but the guard quickly added: “Seeing as you were honest and volunteered your ticket to me, I’m going to let you off. Just be more careful in future.”

We will, we will.