Banking On The Bank

I’ve only been back a day and already a warning from the no nonsense Blogging Authority Suspect Standards  (BASS) chaired by Messrs Mudgie, Mackay, Taylor, Thurman, WME and Shirley.

Under new strict covid guidelines, BASS have banned me from drinking Bass for a month following allegations that I reported on pubs NOT in the Midlands.

I argued that Hugh Johns once covered Minehead Town v Birmingham City on Star Soccer in the eighties but Mackay checked his records and found this claim to be bogus.

So, with less posts and a Bass ban then where else could I go but 602 – The Bank DE21 7SG.

Fearing this news, I had taken some pre-emptive shots of Chaddesden’s biggest boozer

(must have been six nations)

in the daylight having visited a pub and actually had a soft drink some time last year….

However, not a lot has changed except the sign out the front is a different colour but it’s a massive sports bar situated next to Asda just off the A52.

Asda is in Chaddesden but The Bank is clearly trying to be upmarket by claiming it’s in Spondon, according to whatpub.

The lure of Brighton against West Brom live on the box was just too big a draw to miss although Paul WME might have managed to miss it due to his Wolves allegiances.

Considering it was 7pm on a Monday night then there were quite a few punters in and a real mix.  Friendly though as the bloke sitting next to me said “ignore the wait to be seated sign mate.  She’s gone for a fag and will be a while.”

Sound advice so I took my seat with Albion still losing and then the mythical barmaid returned.

Doom Bar was off so my cask option consisted of a bottle of Newcy Brown in a chilled Heineken half pint glass.

 There was a lot of 18-25 year olds and more smokers out the front than I’ve seen for a long time as well as fair smattering Power League players in various football kits having a post-match ‘refuel.’

Everyone seemed to know each other whatever age they were and this is definitely a local pub; from the framed football shirts sponsored by The Bank on display to lots of local memorabilia adorning the walls, this is all things to all people (except cask drinkers of course).

I reckon this is a place you can have a ‘play up’ although it’s big enough to ensure you can probably find a quiet corner for a bit of food with the family.  However, it definitely has the feel of a place to come and watch sport, meet up after a Saturday/Sunday fixture and the bloke in front of me left not long after West Brom’s equaliser.

This is definitely in the top two pubs close to/or in an Asda car park in Derbyshire after The Ferrers Arms in Sinfin and looks set to keep on thriving.

Back celebrating the ‘ordinary boozers.’