The Crown, Matlock

Wetherspoons has now confirmed that it surrendered the 40 year lease on May 26.

This is a smaller Spoons that looks like a shop conversion in an old building. It's a rectangular room with raised areas to the right and left and the bar at the rear. It was doing a good trade on my Saturday midday visit. There are two banks of six hand pumps here with the JDW Trio Of Doom doubled up, two ciders, Littleover Apex & Gold, Thornbridge Jaipur and Spire Jailbreak IPA. I went for the Jailbreak (£2.75) and then realised I had time to order a breakfast sausage roll which went down a treat with a Jaipur (£3.15). I was quite taken with this one and it gets a strong 7.

The Crown looks like a newish build Spoons that is in the middle of Matlock,it is probably a replacement for the original Crown (Home Ales) which was across the road. Once inside there is a largish square shaped room with the bar facing,there are slight raised areas either side of the room,the seating is the normal Spoons type,the locals area was the tall tables and chairs in the middle of the room. There were 12 pumps on the bar,but the choice was a bit limited,we had a drink of Saddlers IPA which went down well on a mid Saturday morning,the only other beer that i fancied was White Horse Village Idiot. This Spoons was ok for a quick drink before getting the bus to Bakewell. Pub visited 9/8/2014

Run of the mill JDW pub that had a 2 banks of 6 handpulls, although each bank had a Ruddles and an Abbot ale.Called in on a Thursday afternoon and thought the place was a little dark,but on the bright side the toilets are on ground level.