please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
NoginBob! go somewhere else to vent your racist/political rants somewhere else! meantime this is a beer appreciation and pub goers concern website. Especially in these tight times!
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Re: last review! WTF? This is beerintheevening! nothing to do with racist views on any side.
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Glad to see the good people of Ashbourne taking a stand(or a knee) against racism. Let’s hope the head isn’t seen again.
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Trading again - and recently made the national news.
After a petition, a statute - depicting a black man's head - was recently removed, from outside the pub.
Petitioners thought the depiction to be racist - and 28,000 joined in.
Many disagreed and felt that part of the town's history has been taken away.
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Such a shame; Thanks for updating Blue Scrumpy... It's the world we live in...
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This pub is now a collection of shops around a courtyard. The building looks as if it was an old coaching inn. The sign still hangs over the street. But otherwise, you could only guess that a pub had been here.
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Any further news Gristy? I stayed here for a weekend back in 2005, and whilst the place was obviously in decline, I have some good memories... Roaring log fire with good food and beer on a very cold Feb night... Even back then room was tatty though.
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Sold! Finally...as yet mystery buyer has promised heavy investment and secure long-term future for the building, though in what format remains to be seen. Projected to take up to 18 months to complete...has the ball finally been picked up and running with it again?
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No such luck. Further delays in the buying process resulted in a deadline set for completion about two weeks ago. The buyer failed to come up with the money, so back to auction it went last week...and failed to meet even the reserve. Not a seriou bid in the room. It's now close on two years since this place first closed its doors -desperate times.
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Some possible movement this week as it is being reported that the keys will finally be passed over to the new owner this week - chances of a decent refurbishment and re-opening in time for Xmas must be hoped for.
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The daily soap opera that is the Green Man has another quick addition...reports are now that the building HAS been sold by the auctioneers, although in a privately agreed sale after the failed auction. No details are yet forthcoming, but has St.George come galloping over the horizon at the 11th hour?
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As of May 1st, closed by the receivers after failing to sell at auction last week. Still on the market, the town as a whole is now worried about the future for the most well knownn building in the town. It really does need a knight in shining armour to step in and rescue it.
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Now apparently under new ownership as of very recently, although details are not known at present. There was something of a refurbishment of the bars a few weeks back, so let's hope this is the start of the climb back up the hill...the beer range has been better recently, although a bad pint was promptly changed on our last visit.
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I have to say, its sad Weatherspoon didn�t get this place/fell out with the administrator. Though they would stamp their corporate authority on the place, for the amount of money needing spending on this old place I fail to see anyone else or a private landlord making a go of it, perhaps the only ones who would would be a Best Western or something equally hideous which would be as good as burning this fine old Hotel to the ground! We stayed here several times on business and its a grand old place, loveably shambolic at times, but its very sad to see it drifting along in limbo, hopefully a more certain future for this fine old place is just around the corner.
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I agree with Gristy � at the moment the Green Man is in a state of limbo and is just a shadow of its former self. We called in on Saturday at lunchtime. The food was OK, but no where near as good as it used to be and there were only two real ales on � Blue Monkey BG Sips and BHB Cosmic. As with the food � the beer was OK, but somewhat below par.
It is not going to be an easy ride for whoever buys the Green Man. It is in desperate need of a lot of TLC, but with a Grade 2* listing the new owners will have their work cut out to get the necessary Listed Building Consents to make too many improvements. Presumably Wetherspoon�s proposals for updating the pub were too radical and were rejected, which is why they have lost interest.
I hope that the situation is soon resolved satisfactorily because it has the potential to be one of the top pubs in Derbyshire.
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Well, 5 months down the line and things are really no nearer a resolution. The brewery has moved out, relocating a couple of hundred yards away behidn the library, so good news that they've stayed in town. However, the management of the pub remains the same as it ever was, but it is frequently empty even at 9-10pm on a Friday night when it should be bursting at the seams. No-one knows where the management stand in regard to either getting the pub back to where it was or selling up and moving on. It remains in limbo and, as such, offers at best a half-hearted experience. They have halved their ale range, from six down to three, albeit they continue to source excellent local ales and still kepp them well. The food has plummeted in quality as overhearing several complaints at various times testifies and the staff are inattentive at best. We have now walked out three times after waiting around 10 minutes to be "served". This is such a shame as an inn of such historic inprtance and standing within the town should be at the top of the experiences that Ashbourne has to offer. It disappoints me hugely to drop my rating from a 9 to a 5, I only hope they can do more to regain the ground they have lost.
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Oh.
Dear.
Confirmed today that this has been bought by Wetherspoons. That may not be necessarily a bad thing, as long as they leave the pub and its interior largely untouched other than re-decorating. However, the bad thing is that they have given Leatherbritches 14 DAYS to leave the premises. What a nonsense. The brewery was to be "unaffected" by any sale and must surely have a minimum notice period of more than 2 weeks, given that they will have to move all their plant and re-start elsewhere, hopefully within the town.
I, for one, will not drink there if they bully the brewery out and destroy the fabric of the building.
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Open again temporarily at 5pm on Saturday to run down the stock, but closed again by this morning for probably two weeks for refurbishment apparently, although the (unknown to us) barperson we spoke to seemed strangly hesitant at offering a targeted re-opening date. I continue to be concerned for the future of this iconic pub.
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Although this has had a "for sale" sign up for around 10-12 weeks now, it is nonetheless a huge shock to report that the Green Man closed its doors yesterday. The owner has a restaurant business in Leicester and was always going to sell up to concentrate on that, but has creamed every last penny out of the Xmas break and then put up the shutters without finding a buyer so far. The Leatherbritches brewery on site was always unaffected by the closure and it may be that they might take over the running of this iconic pub, especially sicne the whole Shrovetide tradition is based on the pub and it needs to be up and running again by the first week in March in order to accomodate that. The decor had got tired in recent months and everything needs freshening up, so let's hope this is just a temporary state of affairs and that the Green Mna will rise again very soon .
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Just awarded the CAMRA Derby branch overall pub of the year for 2010.
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Ancient coaching inn full of history...the very rare street gantry sign could do with a refurb, though, as the lettering is somewhat faded. Excellent range of wonderfully kept real ales, underpinned by the Leatherbritches brews which can be seen being produced across the yard. They have their brewery shop on site, as well, opposite the entrance to the Boswell bar. Always a warm, convivial atmosphere in the Boswell bar, slightly more boisterous air in the younger-set Johnson bar. Modern soft brown leather sofas and stools in the the Boswell perhaps not quite in the tradition of the building, but nonetheless a wonderful way to spend (many) evenings.
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This was a great start to our Derbyshire pubs day out and with Leatherbritches at �2 a pint for a great brew we couldn't have done better. Definitely recommended.
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The Green Man & Black�s Head Royal Hotel to give this pub its full name is a 17th century coaching inn in Ashbourne town centre. There is no excuse for missing it because the pub sign spans right across St. John�s Street which is on the northbound A515 through the town.
It is the brewery tap for the Leatherbritches micro which moved from nearby Fenny Bentley last year and who now brew on the premises. I opted for the 4.8% abv Hairy Helmet which is only �2.30 a pint. No complaints about either quality or price. Dr. Johnson�s which is 4% abv is only �2.00 a pint. No complaints about the bar food either. It was freshly cooked, well presented, good value for money and the home made chips are very yummy.
There are two bars. The Boswell Bar which has 6 hand pumps has a more traditional atmosphere for the more mature customer. The Johnson Bar caters for the younger drinkers. Definitely on my list of pubs to eat and drink at again.
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