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Detail Pages
The Ale Stop, Buxton
Buxton
SK17 6HX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Rob Hunter left this review about The Ale Stop
I found myself in Buxton towards the back end of March, so decided to give the Ale Stop another go, this time during daytime hours. This visit was more what you would expect from a micropub with no rowdy music and no smoke machine! Four hand pulls at the bar, with all in active service at the time of my visit. I went for a Mad Hatter stout at £2.40 for a half, which was very nice. Two bag in the box ciders were also available at 6% and 7% ABV, so not your 4% nonsense. All listed on a chalk board. Cans and bottles are in the fridge for the lager drinkers, and there is a separate chalk board for these.
The place had a bit of a smell of stale cigs, presumably coming from some of the other customers. On that note, there were a handful in, presumably regulars, occupying the left hand side and partaking in chit chat with the man behind the bar. The right hand section has more tables and chairs, though don't be fooled this is still a fairly small affair and I can see it filling up very quickly at peak times. This right hand section has a DJ booth window, which brought on flashbacks of my previous attempted visit, and made me curious as to whether it is still so lively at weekends. However at the time of my visit, music was playing at a sensible volume, sans DJ.
There are bits of old comics stuck to one wall, another has a load of pump clips. There is a single toilet.
Ale was decent and worth a recommendation on that alone.
On 7th September 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1004 recommendations about 751 pubs]
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Ale Stop
Tucked away just off Buxton’s High Street, this might perhaps be described as a micropub, although then again perhaps the music playing from the record player behind the bar might preclude this. In all other aspects though, it had very much of a micropub feel to it.
It’s been opened out internally, so it’s now basically all one room, although divided in to two halves with a corridor to the loos separating them. Décor wise it’s similar throughout with sanded wooden boards on the floor and plain white plasterwork on much of the walls, although there was exposed brickwork at one end and a couple of sections of wall which were very liberally adorned with old beer mats, which made something of a feature. A small fireplace with a woodburning stove was off to one side, and next to this was a bookshelf with a fairly random selection of books and an old “music centre” (for younger readers, a long device incorporating a radio, cassette deck and record player). A window in the adjacent wall gave a view in to a small room which appeared to have a very extensive selection of records as well as other audio equipment. It almost looked like a small studio.
Beer choice was a little disappointing perhaps with only two of the four pumps in use, and both dispensing a golden ale, although the landlord did say he’d had a nightmare getting any more on for some unspecified reason. The two on this occasion were Brentwood Summer Virgin and Pennine Scapegoat. Ciders meanwhile were both from Rosie’s with their Wicked Wasp and Black Bar. Overall, despite the poor beer selection, I quite liked it in here and would be quite happy to give them the benefit of the doubt and check it out again if in the area.
On 16th July 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2161 recommendations about 2053 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Ale Stop
The bar of the Ale Stop is found to the left where a short serving counter faces some seating along the large front window. The left-hand wall is covered in pop art and there’s a musical theme, I enjoyed the 90s Manchester scene music in the background. A decent collection of old pump clips are being amassed up the side wall of the counter that faces more seating found to the right. The locals seemed to prefer to ram themselves into the bar area, which gave me lots of room to spread in the right. A decent pint of Brew York’s Best was available alongside Intrepid Brewing’s Stanage and Solito Extra as well as Triple Point Brewing’s Citra. There were also two real ciders and I didn’t note any keg options. This is a basic place, but it’s welcoming enough so I’d pop back in if passing.
On 6th March 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6826 recommendations about 6787 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Ale Stop
No ravers or loud music on our Friday afternoon visit, from the disco room in the corner. This pub does attract the local characters, who were all friendly and chatty on our visit and all liked a good sup of beer. The barman was proud of his feature wall near the bar, where he had glued a few hundred iconic images. He asked me to look for images of Fred Dibnah 35 in all dotted around the wall. Another wall away from the bar area, had a decent collection of pumpclips from all the beers sold over the last few years.
Four handpumps serving Little Critters C-Monster citrus infused IPA, Dow Bridge D.B.Dark, Bowland Boxer Blonde and Leatherbritches Voodoo Child.
On 21st August 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3767 recommendations about 3767 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Ale Stop
This is a very simple micropub in a bare boarded shop conversion which affords good views across the Market Square. The servery is in the rear left corner and has a timber fronted counter and modern shelving bar back with blackboards to one side listing the draught range. The end wall has been painted red and decorated with a mad collage of pop culture icons and comic book themed bits, whilst a massive pump clip collection fills the wall space in the corridor that leads to the toilets. There are hard benches under the front windows with some basic chairs in support and the right-hand side of the room has been given over to more seating in the form of chairs serving small tables. The walls here are painted white, with a bare brick section at the far end, that boasts a low fireplace and some shelves stacked with books and records. A few cool old LP covers have been framed and line the back wall, nicely complimenting the soul and funk soundtrack that was playing in the background.
There was a pretty good ale range to pick from, with options amounting to Anarchy Citra Star, Acorn Plum Porter, Neepsend Gerovit and Little Critters Bentleys Bank plus three real ciders. My pint of Citra Star was very cloudy and not really my cup of tea and I found the reception a bit frosty and the modest crowd a little cliquey.
I came away from here with mixed feelings, as I thought it was a decent space to enjoy a few pints from their interesting range, but I didn't feel all that welcome and picked a bit of a dud pint, which makes it difficult to work out whether I'd return again or not. I think on balance, I'd be prepared to give this place another try, but there were several other pubs in town that left a more favourable impression.
Date of visit - 17th January 2024
On 3rd June 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Ale Stop
Two room friendly micro. Four pumps of mainly local small breweries and no keg. The decor is a mix of standard pump clips on one wall but old comic book pages on others along with framed album covers. There’s a small room to the rear which has audio equipment and shelves of vinyl albums. It has a log burner at the far end which was very welcome on a chilly autumn day. Mix of furniture but not in the dreaded “harlequin” style.
On 22nd October 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 4235 recommendations about 3895 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Ale Stop
Micropub (but not really as it has music, the choice of which was quite leftfield). Red and white colours with sodium style lights lending an atmospheric dimness. Three cask; my Acorn Winter (NBSS 3) and Stancil Jarrylo (3) were decent enough without being overly memorable. Neat enough, if essentially a tight local’s redoubt. Obviously GBG'23 listed.
On 8th March 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6341 recommendations about 6319 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Ale Stop
A busy little micro with live music on when I called in. I could hardly see the bar let alone study the beer choice but whatever it was that I managed to point to was excellent! The music was also good with plenty customers having a bit of a dance. I really enjoyed it and would call again.
On 20th October 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1992 recommendations about 1840 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Ale Stop
An atmospheric micropub, just off the main road through Buxton. Very busy on our Sunday, late afternoon visit. Pump clips and old album covers all around the walls. It looked like a few of the regulars had been out all day, so not one for the faint hearted. We managed to get the last available table and settled down to listen to the very funny, if un PC banter going on. 3 handpumps on the bar and my pint of Durham Hopbound was in good nick. We both liked this place despite, or maybe because of the boisterous locals.
On 22nd December 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3414 recommendations about 3320 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Ale Stop
I was in Buxton on Saturday evening with a friend and we had planned to visit the Ale Stop. The first thing we noticed was there were quite a few people drinking on the street outside. This was a sign of things to come as the place was absolutely rammed. There was a full on rave going on with a smoke machine in the room off to the right. We managed to work our way to the bar, there are three hand pulls, at the time offering a selection of pale beers. A large blackboard is helpfully placed to the right of the bar which confirms the beers available. But on this occasion we decided it wasn't to be, as we couldn't hear ourselves think and there was no space at all inside so we would have had to retreat to the street and stand up with our drinks, which didn't particularly appeal. This may be a nice quiet micropub by day, but by night the experience it offers does not seem to fit with the normal ethos of a micropub. We decided to leave and try elsewhere.
On 17th June 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1004 recommendations about 751 pubs]