Greyhound Hotel, Matlock

This is an attractive stone-built hotel on the market place, the public bar having its own entrance on the side near the car park. Recently refurbished and under new ownership, it looks very smart with walls painted crimson and cream, and with black and white tile-effect floor covering. The stone fireplace is a centre of attention, particularly on a cold and wet January day when a welcoming fire was much appreciated. On the bar are three hand pumps, but the GK IPA pump is obscured by a notice saying that a "special brew" called Cromford Bitter will be coming soon. I imagine that this will turn out to be a slightly tweaked and rebadged GK IPA, but I'd be happy to be proved wrong. The beers available were Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen. The Abbot was in good condition and served without a creamy head, which is a bit of a rarity these days, so top marks on service if not on choice. Worth a visit, especially if you've just a few minutes to kill waiting for a bus from just outside. From a real ale point of view, the choice of two very similar beers from Greene King is never going to rival the Boat just around the corner.

Hotel lounge/bar with open log fire, a lounge/diner and a separate dining room. On handpull there was Greene King IPA, GK Abbot Ale and GK Old Speckled Hen. On tap there was Hardy's and Hanson's Dark Smooth Extra Cold, Greene King Chilled IPA Smoothflow, Guinness, Carling, Strongbow and Stella. The service was friendly enough and the fire was welcome after a walk on an increasingly chilly afternoon. Not the sort of place I would actively seek out for an evening's drinking, personally, especially when there are pubs nearby, but it was OK.

Official site of the Greyhound Hotel, contains real ale details - www.greyhoundhotelcromford.co.uk