December 2025. Bolsover.
We’d ticked the last new entry in Derbyshire, Mrs RM had expressed complete disinterest in walking the bounds to Snipe Bogg and Carr Vale Flash, so all that was left of Bolsover was a trip to B & M bargains to get a calendar to write my 2026 Proper Days Out on.
But Mrs RM was clearly angling for lunch, and anywhere but Spoons. Marston’s website doesn’t reckon the Cavendish sells food,
and despite appearances the White Swan has been housing for a decade.
Mrs RM spies Sanctuary, which sells a bit like a discarded B-side by The Cult.
“You need to go outside your comfort zone once in a while” she says, an allusion to my preference for GBG pubs. But that’s very 2022, and since I’m driving it’s a moot pint.
I can see Sunday lunches being prepared in the kitchen and I sense a winner, but I’m secretly glad Mrs RM is chancing the cask rather than me.
One pump is plenty,
and she’s got a pint that’s rather better than expected (NBSS 3).
But there’s three standouts in the Sanctuary, ignoring the rather good lad singing Beatles next door.
The wonderfully friendly and efficient young staff, who cope brilliantly with the large family group moving tables to accommodate the Grandmother. “You’re absolutely fine moving tables. I’ll just check you can still reach the loos“.
Secondly, quality pork and beef roasts with a majestic cauliflower cheese side, the best Sunday lunch since a similarly unassuming northern market town diner in Padiham, £40 all in.
And thirdly, and Mrs RM noted this as well, the other customers were all lovely.
That big table moving family group, expertly herded into place by Granny, were just so genuinely cheerful and positive (despite some obvious setbacks) it fair restored my faith in humanity.
retiredmartin 
That’s mean to post that meal on the first day of post holiday intake reduction.
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We ate crackers over Christmas, Bolsover was our big meal !
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You’re supposed to pull crackers and wear a paper hat.
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That’s never gonna happen, Jon !
In general pubs have seemed less artificially festive this Christmas period, just mates and family going out a bit more, though I did only make 67 visits to pubs in December so perhaps some folks who visit pubs more have a different perspective.
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That’s half as many more than my 43 visits, but you’re ten years younger.
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Some of those 67 were “dry” visits, Paul. But none were half pints !
And I know you occasionally stay for a second pint. Or is that Will ?
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Never before have I thought to tot up pub visits but it was 611 last year and so a reasonable fifty a month during 2025.
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Similar to me then, though I know Will beats both of us easily.
The main thing is, did we enjoy our pubs and beers ?
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Not all, Martin, but I enjoyed most of my 285 pubs and nearly 150 beers, though 103 pints of Bass was part of my plan to avoid too many different, and unknown, beers.
Anyway, I’m just back from Titanic Classic Milds drinking well in the Sun as my seventh pub visit of the year.
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285 ? Is that different pubs, Paul ?
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Yes Martin 285 different pubs, most of them proper, plus four other venues.
Down from 339 different pubs in 2024.
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It’s easy to forget how semi rural and socially conservative places such as Bolsover and the former mining communities which produced people like Dennis Skinner can be. When he re-entered Parliament by winning the Chesterfield by-election in the early eighties, Tony Benn said Skinner told him, “Put a tie on. You’re representing a market town now.”
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Yes Matthew, and not just any “market town”, Chesterfield Market being one of the largest and most historic open-air markets in England.
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Master of the one-liner. Still with us at 90 !
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“semi rural and socially conservative”
That gets my Euphemism Of The Year Award, Matthew.
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