The Five Lamps, Derby

Large street corner pub with an extensive and centrally placed wooden bar counter. There are raised seating areas near the windows, and the unobtrusive girders in the ceiling and numerous pillars holding them up make it hard to imagine what the original layout must have been. Wood panelled walls are tastefully adorned with a variety of pictures and maps. There's a Camra members discount of 20p a pint, but considering there are 14 hand pumps, it's a surprisingly mainstream selection, with beers from Acorn, Bass, Everards, Peak, St Austell, Joules, Kelham Island, Oakham and Hartington. Nothing wrong with those, but it's unusual to see so many different ales and none of them at all off-the-wall. It was pleasant enough in here, but I felt it was lacking a bit of character and atmosphere. Date of visit: 19th October 2014