I am actually quite lucky in where I live. We have quite a few decent pubs within walking distance and a lot more either a short car or bus trip away. Granted, we would like more, but we don’t do bad because a number of them also sell quality Real Ale. One such pub is The Rutland Arms in Chesterfield town centre ~ you’ve probably heard me mention it in some of my beer reviews. It is a pub that we visit rather frequently for a drink or for lunch.

The Rutland can be found on Stephenson Place and is actually in the shadow of Chesterfield’s famous St. Mary & All Saints Church ~ known as the Crooked Spire due to its precariously twisted steeple. To show how near it is to the Spire I will mention how some friends visiting from London got quite worried drinking outside there one night. One phoned his wife to say he was convinced it was leaning further towards him than when he arrived and was a little concerned he may get crushed and wouldn't be going home!

The pub is at present run by Ken and Jane Randall ~ they were licensees there a number of years ago, left to go to Nottingham for a couple of years and then they returned to the pub they love. At present they are getting ready to move to another local pub (the Famous Royal Oake in the historic Shambles area of Chesterfield) to get it going again after falling into a bit of a state. There will still be Randalls behind the bar in the Rutland because they are leaving the running to their son and daughter.

The Rutland is on the corner of one of the pathways into the Crooked Spire. It is a whitewashed building that often has very pretty hanging baskets and window boxes on the outside. There are doors on the front and the side ~ both are accessible by steps only and there is no disabled access to the toilets (they are quite narrow and the cubicles are small). There isn’t a beer garden, but there are a few tables (the wooden “picnic table” style) outside the side fire doors and people often stand around this area during warmer evenings ~ standing is the best option because the tables and chairs have, quite frankly, seen much better days.

The Rutland is a former Hogshead pub and was refurbished by them a few years ago. The ladies toilets are on the lower level to the left of the front door and the gents are up a level to the side of the top bar. Bear in mind that the pub gets very busy so there may be a lack of loo roll sometimes ~ just ask at the bar and they will happily top them up (the toilets are always kept clean too!).

The Rutland attracts a really wide mix of clientele. During the day there are a good few office workers, tourists and passing trade having lunch and a drink. Week nights are reasonably well attended ~ especially Tuesdays when they have a quiz hosted by landlord Ken Randall (you can win a gallon of beer for answering some general knowledge questions). Weekends can be really busy and, if you hit it at the wrong time, on Friday and Saturday evening, you are going to face a sea of people and huge queues at both bars (The Rutland isn’t far from one of town’s nightclubs and people meet there for a drink before heading over).

~~~THE FOOD.

The portions are large and the service and presentation is very good for a pub that specializes in beer rather than cuisine!

Real Ale fans will be pleased to note that there is a selection of no less than TEN beers at the bar. Of these Boddingtons, Abbot Ale, Castle Eden, Timothy Taylor Landlord and Pedigree are always available on the handpumps. Alongside this there are five Guest Beers (all listed on a blackboard for convenience) and a proper Real Cider ~ Westons Old Rosie. Beer varies in price according to strength and my other tip is to go with friends and buy a four pint jug ~ this makes your beer excellent value because it will be four pints for the price of three!

~~~WHAT TANGE THINKS.

I love wide variety of people who drink here and the atmosphere can be buzzing sometimes ~ my only problem is that it does get a bit TOO busy sometimes. I like a bit of space and a sit down to enjoy my drink so tend avoid the most hectic times if I can.