Old Poets Corner

The Best Sort of Pub

We visited the Old Poets while out on an coach trip from the Crown Inn, Beeston. The coachful of eager topers all managed to find seats and we were all served by the uber efficient bar staff in moments. I guess they’ve got a lot of experience looking after coach parties!

The Old Poets is a large multiroom black and white timbered building of enormous character. The interior is the epitome of warmth and comfort with inviting real fires and round-the-wall seating.

Numerous plaques decorate the pub, bearing witness to the multitude of awards that this exceptional pub has received over the years.

There’s a great range of cask beers, mostly from the Ashover brewery. I counted 10 handpumps and there was a good selection of ciders and perries. What a sensational pub! I could have happily stayed all day. The beer was in perfect condtion. We enjoyed Black Iris Bitter, Thornbridge Kipling, Ashover Brewery Hydro and Liquorice Alesort.

We didn’t eat here on this occasion (I wished that we had but that’s another story). Apparently the food is all home cooked and the menu has penty of the favourite dishes that tend to go down well. A selection:

Ribeye Steak served with homemade chips, mushrooms, onion rings, garden peas and fresh salad £13.50

Homemade Beef Stew with mashed potatoes and garden or mushy peas £7.50

Homemade Chicken Balti Jalfrezi served with basmati rice and naan bread (Medium hot) £8.95

Haddock in crispy batter made with Ashover ale, served with homemade chips and mushy or garden peas £7.50