October 2025. Chaddesden. Derby.
Back at Derby station from Tutbury, I reckoned it was worth chancing a dash to the Hoppy Place, Derby’s lone new GBG tick a couple of miles east.
Out the station’s back entrance, through the grim light industry and Tier 2 football of Pride Park, over the Brian Clough expressway via Florence, and there’s your Toby Carvery.
MumsNet has been in a ferment over whether Toby is “working class” with its unlimited boiled cabbage and excesses of roasties, but it’s got Doom Bar on so it’s middle class enough for me.
But it’s the Hoppy Place in the Guide, captured in all its bucolic glory.
Having Hop or Hoppy in your name is a 82% guarantee of GBG status, about the same as being a Black Country Ales pub.
Being Bass AND dog friendly gives you a 33% chance. And 82% plus 33% =, something.
It’s one of those suburban community micros where groups of friends (notably, two couples) meet, so I feel a bit subconscious about nabbing one of the “small tables that would fit four at a push“, so add a packet of poppadoms (“With a dip ?“) to the Bass, but never quite feel comfortable.
It’s a decent Bass, cool and tasty (NBSS 3.5), and good to see Britain’s favourite beer in micros, but in discussion with Mr Robin I wonder about squeezing in an even better one at the Smithfield.
But the sun rises over the Nottingham Road cemeteries (the star of Chaddesden),
so I drift a bit, and a swathe of delays and cancellations tell me I ought to get on the first train to Sheffield, which looked rather splendid.
retiredmartin 
“I reckoned it was worth chancing a dash to the Hoppy Place, Derby’s lone new GBG tick a couple of miles east.”
Good thing you can hold your bladder!
“but it’s got Doom Bar on so it’s middle class enough for me.”
There are times when I’m not sure if you’re being honest or not. 😉
“But it’s the Hoppy Place in the Guide, captured in all its bucolic glory.”
See!
“And 82% plus 33% =, something.”
Just a shade more than those blokes giving 110% when they play footy.
“so add a packet of poppadoms (“With a dip ?“) to the Bass, but never quite feel comfortable.”
I saw the ‘dip’ thing in the first pic. Do they come with that?
Also, I take it no bar seat or some such available?
“but in discussion with Mr Robin I wonder about squeezing in an even better one at the Smithfield.”
Has Mr Robin ever steered you wrong before?
“and a swathe of delays and cancellations tell me I ought to get on the first train to Sheffield, which looked rather splendid.”
Indeed it does.
Cheers
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Some bags come with dip, Russ, but you always have to ask !
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Learn something new every day. 😎
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I’ve had 96 pints of Bass so far this year, nearly ten a month being more than any other beer.
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Bass has become increasingly common this last year, Paul, particularly in the area you tend to visit. Landlord remains my most seen beer by a distance.
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Yes indeed Martin, although thirteen days ago I was surprised to find it missing from the Waggon and Horses and Kings Arms.
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