Kebab? No, I'm a New Gent

Beer bellies and kebabs are out, sixpacks and sushi are in - so says a survey which seems to hammer a final nail into the coffin of New Laddism.

In place of the British legion of hedonistic, chauvinistic, brawling, pornogling, drug-taking lager louts comes an army of so-called New Gents.

They are, apparently, career-minded, family-oriented, mature sophisticates who are also respectful to women.

The new breed is typified by such reformed characters as Noel Gallagher - out busking on the streets of London for a new Oasis video yesterday - who has given up all-night parties and drug binges to reposition himself as a civilised, modern gentleman.

Even the lager-loving lads of Men Behaving Badly are growing up - in a new series this autumn, they finally settle down.

More surprising, though, is the revelation that New Gents have been unearthed by Loaded magazine, that former bastion of lad culture. Its latest survey of 22,000 British men found 70 per cent thought looking good was essential to enjoying a night out. That compares with just 20 per cent in similar survey in 1994.

Most respondents said money was a top priority and cited Bill Gates and Sir Richard Branson as role models over Brad Pitt and David Beckham.

Fidelity has become more popular, with 89 per cent saying they preferred monogamy and 90 per cent expecting to marry. Just 15 per cent said they preferred male friends to dating women.

Meanwhile, a typical New Gent forks out twice as much on clothes than on beer, only a third take drugs and 40 per cent reckon it is "completely stupid to take drugs".

Loaded editor Keith Kendrick said: "New Gents do live for the moment, know what they want and aren't afraid to get it, but they also have a balanced attitude to work and women."