I’d been hoping for a Proper Night Out in Derby with Charles; the curry must be OK there. But it hasn’t happened and I need to finish Derbyshire off so I can start on the more challenging counties. Like Fife.
The Standing Order has been irritating me. I’m sure I’ve been to more Spoons there than just the legendary Babington Arms. You know, the one with 17 handpumps.
Perhaps I have. Perhaps it was the Thomas Leaper that stands right next door, taunting the Standing Order with its discos and bright lights. I will never know, and now it doesn’t matter.
Before I went in, I had a look round the most genteel part of the city centre.
What do you notice ?
Yes, not a soul around. No more than a dozen people between the market square and the cathedral at 11.30. Where can they be ?
Ah, of course.
A good thirty gentle folk dotted around the dining area, a few at the bar, in a sprawling and rather beautiful building, almost up there with the Bristol/Glasgow /Fleet Street bank conversions.
Due to Derby City listed building regulations, they seem to have the original 1997 signage still in place. Visit while you can.
I didn’t count the self-service coffee machines (I hope there was more than one) but I did count the handpumps. Three banks of them. The one with Bass on was hidden round the corner. My excuse and I’m sticking to it.
I make that eighteen, though one was off. I suspect some Spoons haters are whining about that one on Discourse as I type.
Not much under 4.5%, sullen service, and it’s a Spoons. But you can have a pint of Oakham Inferno for £2 (with your voucher) which is thick, rich and smooth (NBSS 4). The Old Boy on pints of Gorlovka seemed to be having fun too.
What more could you want ? Frankly, I reckon I’d have had more fun at BeerMat’s pick on the same day.
retiredmartin 
I do like the standing order… terrific building, usually lively and actually has Beermats… however crown and arrows makes it look like a vintage Inn
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Two Spoons side-by-side. Is this unique ?
Probably.
But is Tim’s Montagu Pyke unique in having two addresses, 20 Greek Street and 105-107 Charing Cross Road ?
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That entrance to the Old Bell is glorious. You know us Yanks, we’d go in there and talk ourselves into thinking every beer was in tip top condition, just because we loved the doorway so much. 😉
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I was surprised to find my visit to the Old Bell was the best part of 3 years ago, Mark.
https://retiredmartin.com/2016/05/19/derbys-bass-lottery/
The beer wasn’t BAD, but as I saw this week the city is very quiet and lacks any sort of tourist trade to prop up historic pubs, at least during the day. The Olde Trip to Jerusalem would be packed !
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> …almost up there with the Bristol/Glasgow /Fleet Street bank conversions.
You’ve not mentioned the Cowley shopping centre underground car park conversion !
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Really. Get it in the Beer Guide by voting under aliases and I’ll be down there Fred.
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> …your voucher which is thick, rich and smooth (NBSS 4).
That vouchers sounds excellent. Was it a biscuit-like texture, or more like a slice of toast ? Glad to see that you’ve scored the voucher. How was the Oakham Inferno ?
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Spoons vouchers are an underrated treat, particularly as a midday snack. Many Spoons haters on CAMRA Discourse sell their unwanted ones on Ebay if you look, Fred. I find them best a short head rather than flat, unusually.
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