The Hairy Dog, Derby

I had a chance to turn around and not go in this place, when I entered the porch with its off-putting poster in the doorway, advising on customer behaviour: "Don't be a cunt". The bar had the atmosphere of a dead night club, with the lights so low that you couldn't see if there was anyone in the place and, more importantly, making it almost impossible to read the pump clips. There were six hand pumps, with one cider and five beers. My second chance to walk out was when one of them turned out to be called Dog Piss (see photos). Instead I went for a half from one of the identifiable reputable brewers, Potbelly Piggin' Saint, which would have been ok if it hadn't been served in a plastic drinking vessel. I found a place to prop on the other side of the room (don't remember tables and chairs - probably too dark to see), which turned out to be the only place where it's impossible to see the sign pointing to the gents' toilets, so I had to ask at the bar (from where it was obvious). The lass running the bar was nice - one of the, scrub that, the only consolation of getting old is being called darling by young women - but she was insufficient temptation to put this pub on the must revisit list. Date of visit: 28th December 2017

Small, dark, rock pub with a music venue to the rear. There's a smoking area/beer garden at the front with just 2 bouncers in it on my Saturday evening visit around 8:30. They weren't needed as there were only about 8 people in the pub. There are 2 rooms with the bar being on your left as you enter, there's a pool table and quiz machine in this area along with a huge TV screen. There's another, smaller room to the right with high tables which was being used for vertical drinking. Lots of rock memorabilia around the place as you might expect. 6 handpumps on the bar and my pint of XT 13 was in good nick. I suspect that this pub is absolutely bouncing later on. I'd be happy to call back to see what's on the pumps.

When i first visited this pub it was called the Flamingo & Firkin,it was a Firkin home brew pub with a large room. THis closed when the Firkin empire went away. The pub has now reopened as the Hairy Dog,which is a live music venue,the bar area of the Hairy Dog is housed in the building next to the old Flamingo & Firkin,but the live venue area is to the rear left and in part of the Flamingo & Firkin. Once inside there is a decent sized oblong shaped room which runs to the rear,the bar is on the left side,there is a wood floor,the seating is limited with a few tall tables and stools on the right side opposite the bar,there is a pool table to the rear. There was a good choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Springhead Left Lion,which was a very nice drink,i did not note all real ales as it was too dimly lit,there was Springhead Blind Tiger,Leatherbritches Hairy Helmet and Derventio 2Q,there were other real ales. The live music room is through a small entrance in the left corner,there is a charge to watch the live music. The background music was fairly loud and of the rock type. Plastic glasses were being used on my Saturday afternoon visit. You can have a drink here with no problems,but it is not that comfy so if just here for a drink you would want to move on. A mate of mine says it is a good venue to watch live music. Flamingo & Firkin first visited 7/12/1995 The Hairy Dog visited 1/4/2017