The Woodlark, Derby

Busy student / locals pub, partly opened out inside to leave various seating areas. Covered pool table. Small rear courtyard. Four real ales available on handpump, including Mr Grundy's Over the Top (£2.70) when I visited.

A fine-looking white-painted building with a couple of barrels hanging suspended from brackets, just in case you weren't sure it was a pub. Once inside, suspicions are confirmed by the bar with four hand pumps. At the time of my visit these were serving Black Hole Red Dwarf, Marstons Pedigree, Exmoor Gold and Thwaites Handsome Devil. It was late Sunday afternoon when I was here, and there was still a bit of a buzz about the place, presumably mostly locals from the nearby housing estates. Definitely to be preferred to the Maypole around the corner. Date of visit: 19th October 2014