The Cheshire Cheese Inn, Hope

Stopped at Cheshire Cheese this Sunday, having had a real 'League of Gentlemen' experience in the Nag's Head at Edale and escaped. What a contrast. Small, no frills pub, down to earth landlord, good beer, decent food - mix of simple and more adventurous and an interesting mix of clientele - locals, ramblers, sunday lunchers. Big oak tables, sunday papers, friendly, prompt service. Perfect. Great Atmosphere. Mind you, anything would have felt fantastic after the other place.

26 Feb 2007 08:14

The Old Nags Head, Edale

We didn't even make it into the pub! Sunday lunchtime in late February when the Peak District was reasonably quiet. We had arranged to meet two other couples coming from different directions, all of us originally from areas surrounding the Peak District. We should have realised what we were in for when as we drove up, we noticed two plaques above the two doors - "Ramblers" and "Locals" we jokingly commented that it was a bit like "League of Gentlemen" - we didn't realise how right we were. There was no space in the front small carpark, but at the rear we found another. At first it seemed there was no space here either, - an impression quickly reinforced by a man leaping out of the kitchen and putting out parking cones right behind someone as they manoevered out of a space along the edge of the area, admittedly not designated, but not inconveniencing anyone. We eventually found two tight,designated parking spaces right at the back of the car park, and another with one picnic bench plonked right in the middle of it, and a whole pile more in a haphazard pile across about 8 more. In the middle of this perfect example of a pub garden - not - there was a rather glum family sitting at one of three remaining benches, surrounded by beer kegs. Rather than moving the single picnic bench, and possibly incurring the wrath of the landlord, we shuffled the cars around, squeezed them up and managed to get the last car in behind one of our cars, tight against the edge of the car park where it blocked no-one else in. Promptly someone flew out of the kitchen and told us we couldn't park there. We explained we were not blocking anyone else in, apart from one of the two cars we were with. the man was adamant - "you can't park there - health and safety". Quite how this infringed health and safety rules beat us. No pedestrian exit from the pub or 'garden' was blocked, no fire access was hindered - and if there was a problem with space, why not move the picnic bench - or more radically still, pile the others up more neatly, allowing more parking and a more attractive outdoor seating area to boot. to allow further parking. We started to ask exactly wht rule we had infringed but realised we were beaten. We have never felt so unwelcome and decided not to go in. Having read a couple of other reviews on the same pub on other sites, it seems we are not alone and probably had a lucky escape. Avoid like the plague - try the Cheshire Cheese in Hope instead! Great mix of locals, ramblers, 'sunday lunchers' and everyone mucked in together. Great atmosphere.

26 Feb 2007 08:05