Buxton Brewery Cellar, Buxton

Pub SignMan left this review about Buxton Brewery Cellar

I think its a bit of a stretch to call this place, set just below street level, a cellar bar, although it is located in an impressive space with a nice vaulted stone ceiling through two arches. The room is a bare boarded space with the servery to the rear right of the first vault. The bar has a chunky wood panelled counter front and basic bar back, with the keg taps mounted along one side and beer boards across the other. A nice broad fireplace stands next to the bar with a few books across the mantlepiece and two random coins either side. Hard bench seating opposite, serves a row of small tables with more tables and chairs under the front windows. All tables had a lit candle on them, which the barman was at great pains to lay out before serving me. An upturned barrel near the entrance, plus a drinking ledge to one side, add some surfaces for vertical drinkers to take advantage of, and there are potted plants around most other available surfaces. The second vault has additional seating in a pastel shaded space with regular tables and chairs and a decorative feature of some sort of American car grill and bumper, that appeared to be a cover for a heating unit. Loud 80s pop playing was playing and I was the only customer for the first half hour after opening time.
On the bar were the same four cask ales as in the tap room next door, so this time I tried the Buxton Spa, which was a decent enough drop. There was a pretty good keg range too, but not quite as extensive as next door. The barman was a bit too preoccupied to come across as particularly friendly and the atmosphere was a little awkward as a result.
This seemed like a smart enough bar that I probably saw at a bad time, due to the lack of other customers. By offering the same beers as the main pub space next door, you have to wonder what this pub's USP is, and I think I would skip it next time and just have a second pint in the main taproom instead.

Date of visit - 17th January 2024

On 3^rd June 2024 - rating: 6
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