Bless, Derby

Known locally as the 'Bless', I was the only customer in here on my Sunday afternoon visit. Large pub with tiled area in front of the bar, lots of different seating areas. 3 handpumps serving Bass, a Dancing Duck beer which I didn't get the name of, and Burton Bridge Stairway to Heaven. I had the Burton Bridge, priced at £2.55 for a half. I attempted to drink it outside in the seating area, it wasn't very nice, flat as a pancake, so I left most of it. This place comes alive at the weekends with DJ nights and bands. The barman was pleasant, but it's not really my kind of place.

The Bless was quiet during a recent Tuesday evening visit, but this isn’t the case on Fridays and Saturdays when there is a £1 admission charge after 22:30. The friendly barmaid informed me that this is a bit of a party pub at the weekend. The interior is long and thin with a bar counter that supports premium and craft keg. The cask options were Dancing Duck’s 22 and dcuk, the former being on form. I thought it was OK in here, but with so many decent pubs in the area a return visit isn’t on the cards.

Partly opened-out, multi-room bar, thoroughly refurbished in a light semi-modern style. Various different seating areas around the bar, and a rear patio to one side. Unexciting selection of four real ales on from the five handpumps: Doom Bar, Pedigree, Abbot and Tribute (£1.60, half).

An A-board on the pavement advertises five nationally available beers at "only £3.20 a pint", with a few "craft" kegs added to the bottom (prices discreetly not mentioned). Once inside, only Bombardier and Pedigree were available. There were two friendly people ready to serve and not one customer - ok, this was a Sunday afternoon on the edge of the city centre, but no one at all? Only two out of my previous 10 pubs on the day had charged as much as they were charging here, and I didn't fancy another Pedigree or Bombardier, so decided to give this one a miss. Did I mention the loud music? Perhaps you didn't hear me...