The Red Lion, Bakewell

This place was a godsend in the pub desert that is Bakewell. A quirky entrance led to (authentically) wood-panelled interiors and the choice of tables was vast, given that we were the only drinkers in, on a Tuesday night. A pint of Pedigree loosened one member's silver tongue but the barmaid was having none of his blarney. She acquitted herself with composure and charm and offered up some other quite palatable beer for the rest of us. I forget what it was. Worth popping into, if you're in Bakewell, but don't make a special effort. Better to venture onwards towards Monsal.

The Queen's Arms, Bakewell

No Bakewell pubs appear in the Good Beer Guide and our recent reccy of them showed why. A rather dismal collection of hostelries (The Red Lion excepted) offering uninspiring beer in a range of odd settings. The Peacock next door is really a restaurant and the Craven Arms is a children's play area.
As to the Queen's Arms, we enjoyed quite a nice pint of Sunbeam, sat on comfortable leather-look sofas and examined the ceilings for signs of authenticity. There were none.

The Gate Inn, Tansley

For long-standing locals to the area, the newly swanked-up interior of the Gate might come as a bit of a surprise. Like many other local pubs, it has gone down the food line but is obviously equally keen to maintain its role as a boozer. The, by now, usual array of beers ('Doombar', 'Landlord') were augmented by a light hoppy 'Ay Up' from the Dancing Duck Brewery in Derby, which went down very well. There was a fourth choice but I've forgotten what it was. Tansley's a village now with three pubs, all quite similar in their offerings (well, the Royal Oak is less of a boozer), so a good spot for an evening's drinking.

The Steam Packet Inn, Swanwick

This was a bit of a disappointment in beer terms. We'd gone there on the strength of its offering a discount to CAMRA members (and, indeed, it did - 15p a pint, as I remember) but the beer itself was non-descript at best. I forget what was on offer but it was completely self-effacing and we left after one pint. Shame.

Gone but not forgotten

Sadly, the number of pubs in this district which have closed down and failed to re-open get larger every month. Three of the most recent casualties are the Old Yew Tree at South Wingfield, the Derwent at Whatstandwell and the Nelson at Bullbridge.

Previous victims of this plague of pub closures were the Yew Tree in Holloway, Homeford Cottage, The Jovial Dutchman in Crich and the Vaults in Wirksworth. Each pub closed means a loss of variety, choice and local community facilities.

There must be many reasons for the situation: the ridiculously high price of beer, the smoking ban, drink-driving worries and even bad weather. Perhaps fewer landlords are willing to work long hours for shrinking rewards. But all the more reason to patronise the remaining locals and keep them in business.

The Marlpool Brewery, Marlpool

Now this is a gem. It's a watering hole for real drinkers, shoehorned into what was once a shop. It comprises a bar and three small (and I mean small) rooms inside and what could, if the summer ever arrives, be a pleasant outside seating area in a yard. the brewery is out there too. There were several in-house brews on offer as well as selected ales from other small breweries. The landlord was a very nice chap who seemed keen to know our impressions of the place and talk beer. The only downside is the restricted opening hours and the restricted capacity. Otherwise, a wonderful pub.

The Queen's Head, Marlpool

This free house, lying just outside Heanor town centre, has benefited from recent refurbishment and is an attractive pub, on two levels and with several small rooms. The range of beers is quite extensive and, as is now customary, there was a mild also on offer. The staff were friendly and the younger early-Friday-evening crowd departed around 9pm, leaving only the middle-aged to enjoy their pints. A good pub.