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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
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Mr Grundy's Tavern, Derby
Derby
DE22 3AD
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about Mr Grundy's Tavern
Mr Grundy’s was busy with mostly afterwork trades during a recent Tuesday evening visit. Part of the Georgian House Hotel, there’s lots of interesting stuff to look at on the walls, much like a museum. Six of the seven hand pumps were in operation drawing Mr Grundy’s own Cliffords and Blighty alongside Black hole Brewery’s Cosmic and GK Abbot Ale as well as Sting Cider’s Tipsy Marion and Old Rosie. Food is available, the burger is £12, but I think I’d leave this place to just having a beer. Out the back is a large picnic seating area. A quirky pub that is well worth a look.
On 1st August 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5231 recommendations about 5199 pubs]
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Soup Dragon left this review about Mr Grundy's Tavern
A bit of fun to start - I have no idea who Mr Grundy was but 34 Ashbourne Rd (assuming it is the same property and not renumbered) was, in 1911, the home of Ralph Peyton Sadler (and family). Sadler (funny, there is a Sadler's brewery) had become a lieutenant in 1893 and a captain in 1898, serving and being wounded in South Africa (Diamond Hill), then afterward in India. He would, in 1914, become a temporary Lt Colonel, taking charge of the newly formed 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters. The place has veterans coming out of its ears, it seems!
Anyway, the regimented Georgian exterior of this hotel and brewery tap, with columned porch, sort of suits the military theme of the brewery beer names and, indeed, the one time inhabitants. There is a great beer garden area that has an attached pizzeria. The interior has a few rooms, which over the past couple of years, I have visited a few times - and they are stuffed, as previous reviewers have said, with eclectic fun - from butterflies to old film star pictures and an array of hats. The TV is a little incongruous, but it was on silent. They do food but we didnt eat. The service is fine and a friendly mixed clientele populates. The beer had three Grundy ones (Pip, Squeak n Wilfred.. Sniper and one I failed to note), all served without a head, but decent enough, with a guest, Pugin Bicentenary Ale (Peakstones) that was also decent. There was a real cider, too. Always a nice visit.
On 31st July 2021
- no rating submitted
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Steve of N21 left this review about Mr Grundy's Tavern
Interesting public bar attached to a Grade II listed hotel that has its own micro brewery. It takes its name from a WWI veteran who lived in the property before it became a hotel. A fair amount of internal character with plenty of brewing memorabilia and a section of film memorabilia of black and white photos and any pub that incorporates a red phone box scores an extra point from me. The bar had four of the brewery beers on and the Mr Grundy first world war theme carries through to the beer names with 1914, No Mans Land, Flipping Best and Vampyr being available and my half of the 1914 stout was perfectly passable. And then there were a few guests as reported below
It was quite dead when we arrived and the small tele blasting out some music video channel seemed to be for the benefit of the bar staff and was out of keeping with the ambience of the bar.
As a bar I liked it here and wouldn’t hesitate to return, as long as they kill the tele next time.
On 23rd November 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
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Quinno _ left this review about Mr Grundy's Tavern
Still got its character, augmented by my discovery of the posh Edwardian-style rear dining room and possibly the best beer garden in urban Derby. One downside was the TV obtrusively pumping out fairly dire chart hits seemingly for the benefit of the staff, as the (lack of) customer base on a mid-Friday afternoon didn’t look the type to appreciate it one jot. There are now 10 pumps at the bar, a mix of guest ales plus four house-brewed Grundys beers (which all have a WWI theme); I went for the darkest, the 1914, and got a decent half for my troubles. I do quite like it here (freebies not withstanding!).
September 2010
Final call of the day, headed here for the wonderfully eccentric alehouse interior décor which certainly didn’t disappoint – red telephone box, black and white pics of old movie stars, hat collection, ceiling murals, mounted animal heads etc. A sign outside advised that an in-house brewery would be ‘opening soon’. Atmosphere inside was buzzing and the grassed rear garden area (with impressive iron and glass canopy) looked like a good place to have caught the earlier afternoon sunshine. Five handpumps though I failed to note contents or condition (I'd had a skinfull by this point) but I don’t recall anything particularly remiss. Well-worth dropping in for the interior alone. Rated 8
On 22nd November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
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Bucking Fastard left this review about Mr Grundy's Tavern
This is an interesting building with a hotel occupying most of it,while the Tavern is to the left side.The building is Grade II listed and I had a mooch around the ground floor after checking it was fine to do so at the reception below a fine staircase to the rooms.There is a dining room and many attractive features.Mr Grundy was a WWI veteran who after a long life sold his home for conversion to this hotel.The Tavern section is decked out in an alehouse style,a bit gothic and the onsite brewery supplies a lot of the ale choice although there are guests.I counted 8 handpumps offering Slaters Top Totty,Old Speckled Hen,Potbelly Crazy Days, Stockport Crown Best while the home brews were Big Willie,Vampyr,No Mans Land (just OK) and 1914 Stout.The red telephone box seemed a bit over the top until it became clear that the pub's telephone was situated here .
The friendly landlady explained that Mr Grundy brewery is the sister company to the Blackhole Brewery and she kindly gave away a whole load of bottles of theirs to the PuG crawlers.She may have been grateful that we turned up,the pub seemed quite dead on arrival.
It's quirky and worth a look but I felt it fell short with the choice of real ale compared with the red hot competition close by.
On 16th November 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
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Will Larter left this review about Mr Grundy's Tavern
The pub has been well described by previous reviewers. On the bar at the time of my visit were multiple hand pumps - I counted 11 but I could easily have missed some. There was a cider plus four beers from the house brewery, all with names redolent of the the first world war. Guests included two from Flipside, one from Springhead and a few standards such as Old Speckled Hen and Pedigree. The location of the bar, on an unprepossessing side of the smart hotel building, would come as a surprise to anyone who had not read the reviews on this site. The interior is of a completely different character, mostly derived from bulk-bought pub paraphernalia in slightly grungy alehouse style, with the red telephone box an act of randomness in keeping with the feel of the rest. There's a large collection of film star photos on the walls, some of them obscure enough to while away a few minutes trying to identify them. The overall effect is slightly contrived but not in totally bad taste. The young barman was eager to please, but misheard what I said and spent quite a long time trying to sell me pale and hoppy beers when I had told him that they were what I was trying to avoid! I ended up with the 1914 Stout, which was good but not outstanding, which can be the danger when there are so many beers available and a large proportion of the customers are eating food and drinking lager or soft drinks. Maybe a good place for a rainy day pub crawl - do it all in one pub.
Date of visit: 19th October 2014
On 13th November 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
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ROB Camra left this review about Mr Grundys Tavern
Called in to sit in the beer garden again as it was very sunny. The place was rammed with a wedding, so feral kids running about all over the place. Another good pint, though we didn't stop for long.
15/09/2013
Called in again after the beer festival in town. The garden is great when it's sunny, which it was. A good range of ales on the bar and we didn't eat this time, so no disappointing finish. In fact the only food being advertised was a barbeque. Maybe they have sacked the chef ! It's a very good pub for the beer though.
30/07/2011
Great pub attached to the Georgian House Hotel, but it's not a typical hotel bar in any way. The front room is dark wood panelled and was set up for dining when we called on a Saturday afternoon. The rear room has a proper pub feel with pictures on the walls, a proper fireplace and quite an ecclectic range of seating. There's also a red telephone box for some reason. There is a massive beer garden at the rear, some of it raised on decking. Seven handpumps on the bar serving 4 from their own brewery and 3 changing guests. Both the pints I had, Mr Grundys Passchendale & Over The Top were excellent. The other half tells me that the red wine was good as well. Now for the bad news. We ordered food, which looked really good on the menu. I had a mixed grill. The sausages and lamb chop looked as if they had been deep fried not grilled, some of the chips were so burnt they were inedible. The steak that had been ordered as medium rare came very well done. I complained and this was dealt with well, with our round of drinks being on the house. When I complained though, both the waitress and the manager didn't seem in the least bit surprised, which means this must be a regular occurence. It's a great pub and I would normally have given them a 9, but the idiot in the kitchen is useless and has cost them several points. It's a must visit pub, but I'd eat elsewhere. Sack the chef would be my advice.
On 15th July 2014
- rating: 7
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Alan Winfield left this review about Mr Grundys Tavern
Mr Grundys was first opened by Hardys & Hansons Kimberley brewery and there are still their signs on the outside walls near the entrance.
The pub is in a nice building and the front door is not in use you have to go in the side entrance this takes you into a long narrow room,the right end at the front is more of a dining room as all the tables in this area were laid out for diners.
The bar and main drinking area is to the left just past the red telephone box,there were lots of pictures on the walls and a mixture of seating.
There were 11 real ales on the bar i had a drink of Mr Grundys Golden Dawn and this was a very nice drink,the other beers were Mr Grundys Lord Kitchener,Trenchfoot and 1914,the guest beers were Magpie Fledgling,Milestone Lions Pride,Derventio Cleopatra,Bass,Pedigree and Old Speckled Hen.
I quite liked it in here as there was a laid back atmosphere,there is also a fairly large garden to the rear which was busy as it was very warm for March.
Pub visited 28/3/2012
On 28th March 2012
- rating: 8
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Real Ale Ray left this review about Mr Grundys Tavern
I think I called on the wrong day. Anyway here goes, two staff on, and neither of them had as much interest in their ales served as a limp lettuce on a wet Monday. Also the Trenchfoot was on its last, which was dull and as flat as a pancake. I will give the place a 2nd chance, but come on - do we need disinterested people behind the bar?
On 8th January 2012
- rating: 6
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Gill Smith left this review about Mr Grundys Tavern
Really liked this pub. Although quiet it was a comfy pub to be in and the beer was great so it deserves its place in the 2011 Good Beer Guide. There were 4 Mr Grundy beers on and about 3 guests, with national brands at the other end of the bar out of the way. Lots of photos of stage and screen stars on the walls, almost a mini quiz trying to name them all. Walls also adorned with a variety of hats and there is an old red phone box near the bar. Good menu and as part of the Georgian Hotel there is also accomodation. Beer garden outside for sunny days. Although we were on our way to the Derby beer fest, we stayed to enjoy 3 of Mr Grundy's beers - Trenchfoot, Over the Top and No Mans Land - and one of the guests - Spire Good as Gold. Perfect. We walked from the city centre, but it is on a frequent bus route. 8 and 105 buses.
On 27th February 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]