The Blue Bell, Chesterfield

A nice-looking old building, with a fantastic view from the back garden. Or what used to be the back garden but was in the process of being "concreted over", as the customer before me was informed. I suppressed my "good grief" and made my selection from the three available beers - a rather uninspiring bunch from the Marstons stable consisting of Wychwood Hobgoblin, Marstons Pedigree and Brakspear Oxford Gold. The main bar room is an amalgamation of two or three smaller rooms, and a separate room is described as a function room, though its main feature seemed to be a dart board. A few people popped in for beer or lunchtime fried food while I was supping my Oxford Gold, which was in reasonable nick but nothing to write home about. Numerous pump clips on the beams near the bar suggest that other beers have been available in the past, though I'm not sure the slim possibility there'll be anything but Marstons on in future is enough to tempt me back.

Located on Bolsover High Street, just a short walk from the entrance to Bolsover Castle, this is a nice two room traditional pub which has a bit of a rural feel to it. The entrance takes you into a corridor which gives access to the tap room on the right and the lounge further on to the left. The lounge bar is a very comfortable room with nice carpet, dark beams, white wallpapered walls and a large stone fireplace housing a lit burner. Banquettes and benches skirt the perimeter of the room with standard tables and chairs opposite them. A central pillar has some smaller tables and low stools clustered around it. The decor consists of old photos of Bolsover, various brasses, pewter tankards and a tremendous number of pump clips. The far end of the room was set up for diners and there were quite a few enjoying their Saturday lunch from a reasonably priced menu. The tap room is a more basic affair, with quite a lot of open space, some seating around the edge of the room, a dartboard and a large TV screen showing Premier League football. Customers are allowed to bring their dogs in this room and food can be served in here as well. The pub has a beer garden at the rear which gives outstanding views over the surrounding countryside. Six hand pumps were dispensing beers from the wider Marston’s portfolio. The choice on my visit was from Marston’s Single Hop Wai Iti (£3.00) and Burton Bitter, Wytchwood Hobgoblin and January Sale, Banks's Fine Fettle and Jennings Soggy Bottom, all of which were detailed on a blackboard next to the bar counter. I gave the Wai Iti a try and thought it was a decent pint and well kept. The barmaid seemed to be friendly enough and was kept busy by the steady stream of customers coming into the pub. I thought this was a good place to relax over a pint or two and having seen the food that was coming out of the kitchen I'd say it's probably a good bet for a bite to eat. I didn't manage to visit any other pubs in town, but by all accounts this is by far the best Bolsover has to offer, and judging by my visit, I'm not surprised.