The Royal Oak, Chesterfield

As its location in The Shambles might hint, this pub was originally two mediaeval butchers' shops. We popped in just for fifteen minutes on 14th May 2009 (between rain showers and buses) and were hugely impressed with what we found behind the frosted leaded glass, which can put people off trying a new place - don't be one of them.

For the new landlord and his wife (here since just the beginning of 2009) this has been taken on as a labour of love; a sadly neglected ancient pub with a dubious recent reputation and only a few months ago all closed and boarded up, but one they are determined to turn around, treat with the respect it deserves, and attract a good, mixed clientele to.

Give them your support by dropping in - the landlord buys in real ales from local breweries, and the pint of Bakewell Best I tried was fresh on that morning, crystal clear, the right temperature and very refreshing. Try the stone floored main bar for larger groups, or the cosy back bar with its high timbered roof for intimacy. True, from the latter you have to go back into the alleyway and in again via another street door to use the loos, but thank goodness (unlike so many other ancient pubs) the whole thing hasn't been knocked through and fitted out with an anodyne main bar. This is how the layout of true English pubs evolved, slowly and bit by bit, with different atmospheres in different rooms.

It's open lunchtimes most of the week, but not in the evenings except weekends and (from memory) Thursdays and Fridays - the hours are down to lack of trade. There's still a lot of work to do on this place - the landlord needs to persuade English Heritage that some of the more recent features in this listed building could usefully and sympathetically be replaced - but it's on the right track so go and help by having a pint there! Scoring it 8 might seem a bit high to some, but I've done this in recognition of the effort put in and its huge potential.

15 May 2009 11:25