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Detail Pages
The Fishpond, Matlock
Matlock Bath
Postal town: Matlock
DE4 3NR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
ROB Camra left this review about The Fishpond
A bit of a higgeldy piggely sort of pub that looks like it's been broken through and extended several times. At the top left hand end of the pub there's a full scale ballroom up a flight of steps. Friemdly staff served me a decent pint and Ms CAMRA a half of Shropshire Gold. We had a look at the menu and decided to eat here as we both fancied the nachos to share. We thought they were a bit expensive, but when they arrived they were huge and good quality. This pub wouldn't be anything special in most places, but in a pub wilderness like Matlock Bath it was excellent.
On 22nd June 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3223 recommendations about 3134 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Fishpond
A traditional style pub, apart from somebody's idea to put in bright red leather banquette seating and high tables opposite the bar, along with some black and white floor tiles. Enough moaning, the staff were fab, very friendly and even showed us where the bus stop was outside and the times of the bus, to Matlock.
Eight handpumps with five on, I went for the Bradfield Farmers Blonde, which was in excellent condition. The bus takes you directly to Matlock for a £1 and will save you the good 20 min walk. They also serve stonebaked pizzas.
On 28th April 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Fishpond
An old white-washed building, or possibly two buildings, but the interior is more like a modern bar than a pub. Nevertheless, there are eight hand pumps offering six real ales and two ciders, and interestingly they also produce their own "artisanal" bread here, which is in a display cabinet to the left of the bar. Most of the beers were from local breweries like Mr Grundy, Thornbridge and Kelham Island, and there's a small glass by each pump to give an idea of colour.
The large, centrally placed bar has tongue-and-groove panelling and there are black-and-white tiles in front. At each end of the long room are distinct areas around stone fireplaces in the end walls, which have solid fuel stoves. The end at which I sat, trying to get dry by the stove, has a fake library, and there are oil paintings (for sale) and a mirror based on a medieval altar piece. It was fairly quiet when I was here, on a wet January weekday afternoon, but with Tamla Motown playing on the juke box and a nice warm fire to sit by, I had a pleasant time.
On 21st February 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Fishpond Hotel
The Fishpond is a nice looking pub that is the first pub you see when entering Matlock Bath from the south.
The pub is opposite the fish pond which is packed with very large gold fish but i am not sure which came first the pub or the fish pond.
This pub used to be a Bass tied house when i first went in it in 1982.
There is a small seating area at the front of the pub and once inside there are two large rooms,we went in the room on the right which is the bar though this is a fairly smart and comfortable room,the room was quite long with the bar on the left as you entered,this room was carpeted and had normal tables and chairs and a few small raised areas,the lounge was a lot smarter but this room was empty.
There were three real ales on the bar and the young bar lady who served me was happy to to tell me about the different real ales,we had a drink of Ashover Golden Valley and this was a very nice well kept pint, the other beers were Thornbridge Jaipur and Titanic Triple Screw.
The pub was fairly busy but there were plenty of seats to go round,during our visit there was rock music playing on the sound system but this was not too louud.
Pub visited 1/10/2011
On 1st October 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Matt Lowe left this review about Fishpond Hotel
Not a review but more an update
ReOpened Under New: Music n Ale friendly Management
On Friday 23 Oct 2009 Matt & co
Took posesion of the Fishpond Pub, It was all hands to the pumps to prepare and get the pub open the following morning. The pub has a great history for music and many fans all over the county and further affield.
Matt's dream is to breath new life into the venue with music for all genres playing in both the Main Bar & the large Ball room which is available for private functions
Matt although mainly know for is Biking and mechanical background actually first started working in pubs when he was 13! Ok so it was to pay for his first bike,
and with a family history of pubs all over the UK he's finally taken one for himself
The Fishpond is a very unique building on one hand a traditional English country pub where I am serving great traditional English pub food & a personal passion for real ales
The othe passion is the amazing Ballroom with a capacity of 200 and wonderful acoustics
a perfect venue for indulging myself in great music which I wish to share with others
having a very wide personal taste in music from folk, blues to rock and alternative
also embracing the younger generation of DJ's with regular Dance nights
The Ballroom, it was built for this purpose & thats what It will be used for Music & Dance
On 24th November 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]