Chesterfield and District CAMRA – Update Issue Thirty Three – June 2025.
Chesterfield CAMRA CHAIR Paul Harris reports:
After thirty two issues of this newsletter since January 2022, Steve Monaghan has stepped down as Chair for the branch. I would like to express my thanks as the new Chair for his energy and efforts over that time, not least being this regular newsletter which will continue. If anyone has ideas for content to be added (or omitted) please let me know at chair@chesterfield.camra.org.uk
Hopefully you will noticed that the Branch is moving forward at pace with more opportunities to participate by nominating/voting, volunteering or getting out and about. Monthly weekend social activities are being planned for the coming year so please support these and come along. Please visit our BRANCH DIARY for more details. There is also a list of upcoming events/socials that are being run independently from Chesterfield CAMRA below.
Being an active member of your CAMRA Branch will get you credits as part of our Volunteer Reward Scheme (see below).
Main photo: Paul Harris (Chesterfield CAMRA Chair) and Mat Randall (Rose & Crown, Brampton).
Branch Meetings (First Thursdays 7.30pm start)
There will be a ‘Meet & Greet’ for new members. This will be at 7pm prior to meeting starting. Everyone including non members are welcome. See the Branch Diary for more details. The Committee are also interested in your ideas for discussion topics for future Branch Meetings. Please make suggestions by email to secretary@chesterfield.camra.org.uk
Thursday 5th June – Tramway Tavern (192 Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield S40 2AT, UK)
Thursday 3rd July – Old Poets Corner, Ashover (1 Butts Road, Ashover, Chesterfield S45 0EW)
Thursday 7th August – Arkwright Arms, Sutton cum Duckmanton (Chesterfield Road, Duckmanton, Chesterfield S44 5JG)
Thursday 4th September – The Royal Oak, Shambles (1 The Shambles, Chesterfield S40 1PX)
Thursday 2nd October – Derby Tup, Whittington Moor (The Derby Tup, 387 Sheffield Rd, Whittington Moor, Chesterfield S41 8LS)
EVENTS IN AND AROUND THE BRANCH AREA JUNE 2025
Jaiparty, Thornbridge Taphouse, Bakewell – Saturday 7th June.
One Valley, Dronfield – Saturday 7th June.
Burton Ale Trail, Burton Thursday 5th – Sunday 8th June.
Peak Ales 20th Anniversary, Ashford in the Water – Saturday 14th June.
Pork and Cider Festival, Holly Bush, Makenley – Saturday 21st June.
TASTING PANEL (ONE MONDAY EVENING PER MONTH)
Monday 9th June, 7pm Real Ale Corner all welcome. We will be in the future publishing our “tasting findings” to the branch. See the Branch Diary for more details.
PUB AWARDS
Chesterfield CAMRA Branch Pub, and Cider Pub, of the Year 2025 – Rose and Crown, Brampton (104 Old Road, Chesterfield S40 2QT).
CAMRA North Derbyshire Pub Of The Year 2025 – Rose and Crown, Brampton (104 Old Road, Chesterfield S40 2QT).
The award presentations for the Rose & Crown, Brampton took place on Thursday 29th May. Well done to Mat, Jane (Photo below) and all the team.
CAMRA Derbyshire Pub of the Year 2025 – Burnt Pig Ale ‘Ouse, Ilkeston (53 Market Street, Ilkeston DE7 5RB).
Chesterfield CAMRA Branch and CAMRA Derbyshire Club of the Year 2025 – Hasland WMC (Hasland, Chesterfield S41 0LH) Now in the running for National Club of the Year!
Chesterfield CAMRA Branch Spring Pub of the Year 2025 – The Derby Tup. Read more here.
InnSpire (Quarterly Magazine)
Thanks to Chris Fox on a excellent job on producing a quality magazine. The printed copies of the Summer 2025 magazine should have be delivered to local and not local pubs (Or will be over the next couple of weeks). The current issue and back issues can be viewed here.
Thanks to Rachel Green for taking over distribution of InnSpires to distributors.
Thanks to all our distributors. If you wish to contribute to future issues – adverts, articles, ideas. Please get in touch: innspire@chesterfield.camra.org.uk
InnSpire Magazine is the official magazine of Chesterfield CAMRA. The magazine is distributed, by volunteers, to at least 85 pubs and clubs. With two thousand printed copies and a digital version of the magazine available to view on the Chesterfield CAMRA website, this means thousands of beer and real ale loving customers will see your advert.There really is no better way to promote your business to a highly focused and targeted audience. We can even help design your advert too. To place an advert in our magazine please email: innspire@chesterfield.camra.org.uk or visit our advertising guidelines/prices. Work has already begun on the Autumn 2025 issue of InnSpire.
PUB/BREWERY NEWS & RUMOURS
Ye Royal Oak has been reopened in Chesterfield’s Town Centre. Read more here.
Ashover Brewery is reopening as Ashover Brew Co. Read more here.
Three pubs have open/reopened in our district: Original Gravity, Holmewood Cricket Club Micropub and The Spread Eagle. Read more here.
A new micropub The Lost Lamb is set to open in New Whittington next to Black Sheep Barbering (144 High St, New Whittington, Chesterfield S43 2AN).
The Castle Arms (6 Woodhouse Ln, Bolsover, Chesterfield S44 6BH) has listed a number of beers on the Real Ale Finder App. Chesterfield CAMRA plans to visit soon. The pub shares it’s premises with the Indian Restaurant the Alleppey Kitchen.
The Hidden Knight (18 Soresby St, Chesterfield S40 1JN) has closed. Chesterfield CAMRA hopes this is temporary and our understand is that Greene King Pub Partners are advertisers for new managers.
Applications for new two bars in Chesterfield’s town centre were submitted to the borough council’s planning authority in February 2025. As the Summer issue of InnSpire went to print we awaited hopefully positive news. The first proposal would see the former Halifax Bank building (6 Central Pavement, Chesterfield) turned into a bar with live entertainment. The applicants Nine Kingdoms Ltd are seeking change of consent with unconfirmed rumours the bar may have a Viking theme. The second town centre application would see the former restaurant the Thai Pavilion (37 Glumangate, Chesterfield S40 1TX) turned back into a pub. The building was previously home to The Manhattan Bar, which closed its doors in 1998. The proposed floor plan includes a small low-level stage area and space for a DJ (We’ll follow this breaking story in the future).
WhatPub.com (Beer Scoring)
We will be guiding members through this at every Branch meeting Whatpub is CAMRA`s database. It is based on every pub in a Branch area. The database is kept up to date by our members.
Please use whatpub.com to score beers. Scoring beers is the basis of deciding which pubs are selected for Good Beer Guide. The more scores a pub has the more likely it is to be in Good Beer Guide. We will be teaching `how to score` at Branch meetings. You will need your CAMRA log on details as this is only a web based activity.
For more details visit our WhatPub page
Volunteers Reward Scheme
The scheme aims to encourage ACTIVE participation in Branch activities, currently accruing 100 points in the year equals a gift. 2024 gifts to be presented soon.
20 points – delivering Innspire, attending branch meeting, beer scoring, beer festival set-up/take down.
10 points – voting, doing a survey, judging, volunteer at our festival.
For 2025 there will also be a point for every Whatpub score
Cheers
Paul Harris – Chair
Branch: Chesterfield & District
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