The Cavendish, Chesterfield

I can't believe it's 10 years since I was here - and that didn't really count as a visit as I declined a drink. There've been at least two refurbs in the last decade, I reckon, and the interior looks like it's been rearranged substantially at least once. There's a prominent kitchen - at least, the fact that the lass who served me was wearing kitchen scrubs alerted me to the fact that there is a kitchen. Unfortunately the glass that she used to serve my half of Marstons 61 Deep was still warm from the dishwasher. (Although there are three hand pumps there's only one cask beer on, with the other two pump clips advertising the availability of two other Marstons beers - Old Empire and Hobgoblin Gold - in bottles!) This visit introduced to me a new meaning of the term "dog friendly". There was a group of men sitting around a table near me, one of whom had a terrier bitch sitting on the bench seat between himself and me. Soon after I sat down she walked along the seat and sat next to me. She got shouted at and dragged back, but twice more she made a bid for freedom. Poor lass - but it would have out of the frying pan into the fire, as I'm no dog lover.

Facebook page of The Cavendish - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Cavendish - www.facebook.com

I called in here on discovering that my intended next pub, the White Swan, was closed. I was pleased to see that Jennings Dark Mild was on one of the pump clips, the other being Mansfield Cask, but the landlord sadly informed me that it was "not ready yet". If the atmosphere had been more congenial I would have tried a half of the Mansfield, but there was extremely loud pop music blaring out so I politely declined.