retiredmartin

You left me in the Woodlark, where the landlady had just put Simply Red’s “A New Flame” on the jukebox to bring a Neil Sedaka streak to a sad end, and Mick Hucknall starts on a run.

“Money’s too tight to mention….come on !” sings the Old Boy, emphasising the “Come on !”.

“Cheers Ducky” says the landlady as I return my Bass glass.

I press on in search of more Bass treasure.

Actually, I’d really hoped to get a bit of Derby culture, but EVERYTHING closes on Monday, just like micropubs, so I’ll have to come back.

Instead, I followed the trail of posh mobility scooters to another temple of culture,

but sadly the Standing Order (and the JDW Thomas Leaper next door) had dumped Bass in favour of lesser treasures like this;

£1.69 (with voucher) a pint of Green Devil in a GBG pub; how did I resist ?

Because I’m focussed on The Wickingman’s Bass list, so I skip down to the Derwent, and save Doom Bar at the Old Silk Mill for next time.

When asked “Which Derby pub should I visit ?”, 108.7% of Beer Twitter said “The Smithfield, stupid”.

But that’s BEER twitter for you, they want hops (whatever they are) and SIPA and daft names and Bass at the bottom of the list.

Bottom !

On a busy Monday lunchtime I’ve been left the best table in the house, underneath the sacred Bass mirror.

It’s a lovely seat, with a lovely view of Old Boys sipping halves of more interesting beers and reading the papers. A rare lunchtime boozer.

My Bass is dry, less cool than elsewhere, and hard to fault (NBSS 3.5).

But the pub comes alive for me when I’m able to help out the two (2) fellas trying to recall a famous FA Cup tie in the ’70s.

They’re fans of the great Kevin Hector, though it was Roger Davies who bagged the hattrick in that famous 5-3 win at Tottenham.

I should have left after the Bass, but I stayed for a Chin Chin.