The Blue Stoops, Dronfield

The main bar is located at the front left hand end of this old stone building but beyond that is a maze of rooms so I guess the cliche “rambling” could be applied here. The only entrance appears to be from the car park which should give you a hint of what awaits. More a restaurant than a pub it has four pulls on the corner of the counter, a lacklustre Hophead and London Pride, one blank and one reversed. I noticed they were using the old Hophead pump clip stating 3.8% ABV when it is now a watered down 3.4%. There’s a medium sized pipe with 14 kegs of various types. The various rooms are set up for dining, decor is limited to painted slogans on the cream walls. There’s a second counter in the rear left room with no taps, another in the right most room with just a medium pipe of kegs and a fourth in the front room without taps. An odd place and very much not to my taste. Card only.

Now run by Chilled Pubs, the place still benefits from True North's 2016 rescue mission, with a modernised multi-room interior that still retains a traditional look. Food is obviously a big part of the offer, but there is plenty of general seating in the two bar areas. Disappointingly though, the three real ales available from the bank of four handpumps were far from local, being Pedigree, London Pride and Dark Star's Hophead (£4.20).