Ever The Hoptimist

I’d like to start by thanking everyone who has commented and contributed to the blog in 2022.  The interaction is always appreciated and makes the trawl through some of the Midlands’s great (and not so great) pubs and clubs worthwhile.

Of course, drinking in pubs and clubs is ALWAYS worthwhile even if you’re not blogging as one of the iconic British images, the pub, needs support more than ever.

I’d also like to raise a glass to Richard Coldwell, Alan Winfield and Pete Allen.  All commented regularly on LifeAfterFootball and were proper #pubmen of the highest order.  Cheers gents.

Ever the optimist, I’d like to leave 2022 from a top little boozer in Spondon called 789 – The Hoptimist DE21 7FH.

Spondon is a suburb/village of Derby that is growing on me as I’ve already visisted a GBG classic – The Malt Shovel – a very decent cricket club bar – and an old skool local run by a Brummie – The White Lion.

The Hoptimist has been open a year now and is a former hardware shop in and amongst lots of shops and chimney pots.

I popped in on a Tuesday night pre-Christmas and it was very much a pub used by the village with lots of ladies, couples, lads and dogs on show as it had the comfortable feeling of a pub with regulars and a good vibe.

A cracking pint of Mosaic (Arbor) hit the slot and there was definite feeling of (H)optimism in the pub.

Well worth a visit and one of those pubs that you think has been around for years as it appears to be part of the Spondon furniture.

Happy New Year to one and all!

Published by lifeafterfootball839

A man looking to visit as many pubs as possible in the Midlands and prove that the great British boozer is alive and kicking!

10 thoughts on “Ever The Hoptimist”

  2. Spondon looks a good place for a pint Beermat and that pint looked like nectar. I probably should’ve put this link on your Spondon cricket club post but hopefully it’s still relevant and you may find it amusing…

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0775tmz

    Happy new year to you and your family and hoping to finally buy you that pint (or two) in 2023

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  4. Hoppy New Year to the Hoptimist.

    Thanks for your continued efforts to keep pubs financially viable. Thanks for your continued effort in describing them too. With so many places closing it’s good to hear of the ones that are still about. Hopefully I won’t need to be writing about any of them soon.

    Stewart.

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