Ordinarily, I agree with your assertion. There’s nothing more pretentious than a “Shopping Centre” in the USA.....obviously, the property owner/developer is thinking that by using British spelling, he’s creating something high-class. I will however, absolutely defend H.P. Lovecraft, my all-time favorite American horror author. He was an admitted Britophile, and always used British spelling in his stories. “The Colour out of Space” just don’t have the same impact with it’s American counterpart, for me at least. So, I guess when Lovecraft did it, I’m cool with it. Other folks are just pretentious a$$h____s.
It’s interesting that you and several others defend the use of British spelling due to their fondness of literature and poetry. Having no interest in works of fiction or poetry, I cannot agree. I read history, mostly military history.
Luckliy, Robert Heinlein keeps me from being too pretentious. :-)