ONE PUB ONLY? Derby Tup CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND? Rutland, Royal Oak and the Market SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT? Derby Tup                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Derby Tup 387 Sheffield Rd   S40 8LS  Telephone 01246 454316  W www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk G Brendan McConville F Hot baguettes and snack food 12 to 2   SP            O 11.30 to 3, 5 to 11 Mon - Thu, 11.30 to 12 Fri - Sat, 12 to 11.30 Sun           The No. 25 bus took me to the famous Derby Tup and it is a must if you are to sample the best. I was not alone on my visit. There are three separate rooms, the smallest snug designated as non - smoking. I preferred the longer central bar where wooden tables and chairs arranged around the walls made for instant cross - group chat. The locals raved about the qualities of the Tup. No music, no juke box, no gimmicks; just quality ale and the essential ingredient, great regulars who have made the pub what it is. The conversation roams from ales onto politics and sport and then back to the ale. This is Chesterfields pub of the year, it would stand it’s ground in any town in the country, I would love this to be my local. Go on, £1.80 return will be the best investment of the day. UPDATE:  Watch out for the Beer Festival at the end of September. BWV 24.3.05:   Burton Bridge Porter,  Bateman XXXB,  Everards Perfick,  Newby Wyke Bear Island,  Oakham JHB,  Oldershaw Isaacs Gold,  Timothy Taylor Landlord,  Wards Best,  Rudgate Earls Ale,  Weston’s Old Rosie,  Biddenden Dry, Medium Ciders,   Broadoak Moonshine Cider BWV 11.5.06:  Bateman XXXB,  Burton Bridge Porter,  Caledonian Dr Bob’s Mild,  Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Scotts 1816, Libra On Balance,  Newby Wyke New Wave,  Titanic Iceberg,  Timothy Taylor Landlord Sept 2010 Still as excellent as ever, now being very popular on football days of course with the new ground being 10 mins away. Nigel Preece                                                  Market 95 New Square   S40 1AH  Telephone 01246 273641 G Keith Toone F All home made and home cooked food in the traditional English pub food style 11 to 2.30   MP O 11 to 11 Mon - Sat, 7.30 to 10.30 Sun           The Market is a classic market - square pub of the very traditional style. I visited on a market day and saw it at its brilliant best, very busy, chatty and homely all at the same time.           The pub has everything, quite literally. Good beers and interesting guest ales are supped in either a timber - floored bar, a flag - stoned area or over a meal in the carpeted lounge. All have low ceilings and rely on natural light through the feature windows to the front of the bar. I shared the pub session with some good old boys avoiding the market scrummage and generally older couples obviously having their weekly meal out in their favourite town location. The food is very important on these days. In the evenings the drinkers are more likely to be the real ale fans, again of the more mature variety than is often found in a typical market town centre. On a matchday there are unlikely to be many Chesterfield fans, the football fans will be visiting real ale heads enjoying the friendliness of the pub. I retired to the small courtyard garden where the kitchen could be seen in full frenzy. The younger female luncheoners were here and to be honest I enjoyed eavesdropping on life in the “Spire” town. I really enjoyed this pub, the younger real ale heads will maybe find it a bit too traditional. Beers include three guests to the Tetley, Pedigree and Landlord. BWV 11.5.06:  Greene King Abbot,  Marston’s Pedigree,  Robinson’s Unicorn,  Spire Encore,  Tetley’s Cask Bitter,  Timothy Taylor Landlord BWV 11.5.06:  Greene King Abbot,  Marston’s Pedigree,  Robinson’s Unicorn,  Spire Encore,  Tetley’s Cask Bitter,  Timothy Taylor Landlord BWV 13/3/10 Always:  Carlsberg UK Tetley Bitter, Greene King Abbot Ale, Kelham Island Easy Rider, Timothy Taylor Landlord,  Guest: Moorhouse's Premier Bitter,  Shepherd Neame Spitfire Premium Ale,  Weston's Traditional Scrumpy (Mick Escott) Red Lion 570 Sheffield Rd   S41 8LX  Telephone 01246 450770 G Maureen Tropman CP   SK   JB   P   D O 12 to 11, 12 to 10.30 Sun            One rarely finds an Old Mill brewery pub and never further south than this great local at the edge of Chesterfield. The location is important because one might well stay in a nearby hotel, or arrive by passing the town and travelling into the ground along the Sheffield Rd. I was really glad to put this into this years guide because it complements the nearby Derby Tup by offering an alternative that is patently also a friendly community pub.           Sometimes you know that the locals come to a pub because the company of the landlady is really comforting. I felt that it was a place where you might easily be mothered and cajoled into taking part in activities for the pub and as a consequence for charities. The main bar has numerous darts trophies and there is a big screen TV for those big matches Similarly Saturday night will find a pub - singer style of entertainment; quiz nights draw in others on quieter nights. The local CAMRA groups have promoted the pub for some time and the Old Mill guest beers are apparently the target for beer mat collectors. The seasonal ales are very popular. Don’t expect to find lots of football fans going to the game. The locals are more likely to head north to Sheffield, shame on them. What you will find is a friendly pub with some real characters. It doesn’t fit any stereotyped view of suburban local, nor real ale den. I really enjoyed my quiet lunch time pint and will certainly be back. BWV 11.5.06:  Old Mill Bitter, Bullion, Mild Royal Oak 1 The Shambles   S40 1PX  Telephone 01246 237700 G Josh Clarke and Emma Randall F Good value traditional English menu 11 to 4 Mon - Wed, 11 to 5 Thu - Sat   MP   JB O 11 to 7 Mon - Tue, 11 to 11 Wed - Sat, Closed Sun           The sister, or perhaps daughter, pub of the Rutland is found in the historic Shambles area. This is the oldest pub in Chesterfield has recently been taken over by Ken of the Rutland and is run by his daughter, the expectation of good ale continues in a great location. A preservation order on the building helps to protect a remarkable non smoking Tudor bar complete with high timber – framed, mediaeval - style ceilings and beautiful stained glass windows. The second bar is entered by a totally separate entrance and is on a lower level. Here the regulars find seats among tourists and business folk enjoying its rare quality under a lower ceiling with flag - stone floor. Expect good beers from the national chains of good quality, enough choice to satisfy most needs and friendly town centre locals and tourists to chat with. UPDATE:  It now has three regular plus three guest ales. The pub is essentially the same and more popular than last year. BWV 24.3.05:  Adnams Broadside,  Badger Tanglefoot,  Caledonian Deuchars IPA,  Everards Tiger,  Greene King Abbot,  Stones Bitter BWV 11.5.06:  Bass Draught,  Caledonian Deuchars IPA,  Derby Triple Hop,  Elgood’s Cambridge Bitter,  Greene King Abbot,  Stones Bitter Facebook page    Rutland Arms 23 Stephenson Place   S40 1XL  Telephone 01246 205857 G Ken Randall F Good quality home cooked pub grub 12 to 7  MP   TV   BM      O 11 to 11 Sun - Wed, 11 to 12 Thu – Sat           Tracey recommended this pub as a “not miss” experience. She was right it is the best located and most interesting real ale pub in town. The interest comes in the form of 10 real ales at any one time, several served under gravity from directly behind the bar. The good location comes from being between the town bus stops and the crooked spire. The Rutland trades on its comfort, many regulars bring their paper for some peace and quite, other businessmen come for a real ale lunch and good value pub grub. The upshot is that we have here a good town ale house that offers something for everyone without the need for gimmicks. UPDATE:  The beer choice gets larger and the pub is as popular as ever. BWV 24.3.05:  Bateman Spring Breeze,  Bath Ales Gem,  Black Sheep Bitter,  Boddingtons Cask Bitter,  Caledonian Deuchars IPA,  Everards Original.  Greene King Abbot, IPA,  Highgate Natterjack,  Marston’s Pedigree,  Timothy Taylor Landlord BMV 11.5.06 Adnams Regatta,  Boddingtons Cask Bitter,  Caledonian Deuchars IPA,  Camerons Castle Eden Ale,  Greene King Abbot,  Hambleton Nightmare Stout,  Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted,  Hopback Odyssey,  Marston’s Pedigree,  Timothy Taylor Landlord,  Tom Wood Hop and Glory,  York Decade UPDATE Food: traditional pub fare and Sunday lunches 12-7           This is a town centre haven, a neighbour to the church whose twisted spire you may observe, by craning your neck on a window seat preferably suitably lubricated. The pub is amenable to all football fans and has a direct association with the Spireites through sponsorship and food provision – on occasion you might spot a Saltergate employee there, the type wearing studs for his day job. It was the only pub open on a bleak New Year’s Day, and provided all of nine beers, a handful of which were seasonal. In fact landlady Jane Randall (allegiance to Notts County admitted) showed me the board compiling an impressive 29 beers turned over during the festive season, but who’s counting? It is kind of run of the mill to learn that the Rutland holds beer festivals, augmenting the already considerable range of ales; also six bottled Belgian beers and one on dispense, two draught ciders and thirteen malt whisky choices. Buses and trains are walkable from here. They have to be. It’s normally busy on match days, with fans of any persuasion in evidence. The ground is a short walk away. Routinely there is a wide clientele through day and evening, ‘from 3 to 93’. The layout in conducive both to quiet contemplation/crossword completion or groups quaffing round substantial tables, being an extended ‘L’, really one room with comfortable spaces on all sides. There is a sense of wellbeing and comfort here. BWV 01/01/07: Abbeydale Moonshine & Absolution, Bateman’s Rosey Nosey, Boddington’s Bitter, Coach House Christmas Pudding, Deuchar’s IPA, Greene King Abbot, Moor Beer Co Christmas Ale, Timothy Taylor Landlord. Mick Escott BWV 13/3/10Always : Adnams Broadside, Greene King Abbot Ale, Fuller's London Pride,  Guest:  Beartown Bearskinful, Brampton Jerusalem, Britannia Cream Ale, Chesterfield (Brewery) Spire, Peak Ales Chatsworth Gold,   York Centurion's Ghost Ale, Westons Old Rosie Scrumpy (Mick Escott) Richard Stacey reports:- Nothing much changed in Chesterfield though the Chesterfield Arms is now probably the best pub in Chesterfield. Its part of Everards pubs and the Brampton Brewery will also be opening one in Brampton at some point in the near future The Arms has 10 Cask Ales 2 house beers both brewed by Leatherbritches CAD 4%  dark bitter and Bounder 3.8% light pale session ale. Top pork pies and 6 Ciders. Ted Blair treports from the Chesterfield BWV Oct 09 Black Hole, Porter, Supernova Everards Tiger Leatgherbritches Bounder, Cad Wells Bombardier Woodfordes Wherry Wychwood Dog's Bollocks Wyre Piddle Piddle Remembered CHESTERFIELD CAMRA SALTERGATE  LOCAL BREWERY Unit 5 - Chatsworth Business Park Chatsworth Road, www.bramptonbrewery.co.uk  WETHERSPOONS Spa Lane Vaults 34 St Mary's Gate Chesterfield S41 7TH  Opening Times:  Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am  The Portland Hotel West Bars Chesterfield S40 1AY Opening Times:  Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am