There's going to be a few of you lot in Chesterfield tomorrow whether there's a game on or not so as a seasoned north Derbyshire drinker I thought you may appreciate the heads up on decent places to have a beer tomorrow.
Chesterfield rightly has a reputation for having plenty of boozers and like anywhere they range in quality. You've a choice of options depending on arrival time, but if time allows you really want to head into the town centre rather than heading down 'Whitt Moor' where the ground is. The station is a 20-25 minute walk from the ground - straight down Sheffield Road - though you only pass a couple of pubs worth bothering with - these are the recently done up St Helens on the left hand side and the Neptune which is up the steep hill on the left before you get to the St Helens. Both are perfectly accomodating to anyone with money in their pocket! The St Helens has a big screen for Sky and though you get a few oddballs in their from the council flats behind it's decent enough. The Crown and Anchor on the right further on, on the other side of the road, is supposedly home fans only and attracts a few of our 'livelier' fans. It's a bit of a dive anyway should you choose to venture in though expect to be turned away if obviously an away fan.
If you go into town, cross the footbridge over the A61 by-pass, and head towards the Crooked Spire. You pass a load of bars and come to St Mary's Gate. Walk through the graveyard of the church and you'll hit the Rutland pub which does decent food and real ale too. Alternatively turn left at the zebra crossing keeping the church on your right and you'll see the Spa Lane Vaults on the left - a large Wetherspoons pub which is above average for beer and made the Good Beer Guide 2012. Opposite here in Abacus which does OK food as will have any football on TV too. Two other places that are well worth a visit in the town centre are the Royal Oak (oldest pub around) in the Shambles and the Market which unsuprisingly is at the top of the market place in 'New Square'. Near here is the other Wetherspoon pub in town, the Portland Hotel.
If you've time and like your proper beer go to the Chesterfield Arms which is close to the away end of the old Saltergate ground, a five minute walk from town in the direction of the new ground. You can spend hours here easily (and I do!). A taxi from here to the ground will cost no more than a fiver.
On Whittington Moor, the stretch of Sheffield Road that the ground is at the southern end of, there are a handful of pubs, chip shops and takeaways that get busy on match days. The best pub for beer is without question The Derby Tup, a real ale mecca for years. Further up Sheffield Road away from the ground is the Beer Parlour, effectively a shop but has a bar with 3-4 handpulls and becomes a mini-pub on matchdays. I can't be that officially as it has no toilet, though handily there's a public one around the corner. (I wouldn't normally point out public conveniences of interest by the way!) The Red Lion is pretty decent too across the road next to the Lidl supermarket though the others aren't really worth bothering with (Travellers Rest, Rose & Crown). The Donkey Derby next to the ground is uninspiring but convenient if nothing else.
If the game's off and you've hours to kill or these aren't enough a stroll up Chatsworth Road is a decent choice - two real ale pubs up here, both run by the newly reformed Brampton Brewery. In my opinion The Tramway is the best of the two though the brewery tap, the Rose on Crown on Old Road is pretty decent too.
I hope you all have a decent day in Chesterfield whatever the result.
0
Comments
PS Did you type this out just for us, or do you do it for all clubs ?
Ha ha, my usual matchday drinking buddies are en-route to Brussells for a drinking weekend so it could be arranged.
@plaaayer you ok driving up for the rearranged fixture :-)
;o)
A lot of you will know this man!
Think most people went to Sheffield.