Clubbing

Whilst Martin, Mudgie x1, Mudgie x2 and the Sheffield Hatter continue their impressive ten-pub jaunt round the hinterlands bright lights of Stafford, the rest of us are setting the club scene alight.

Of course, the Beer & Pub Forum stalwarts often visit Stafford’s nightclubs with Martin particularly partial to throwing some shapes to Meghan Trainor’s “All About The Bass”.

But the B&PF apprentices like my good self need to earn our place on the dance floor and that means visiting some social clubs to earn my spurs.

I love a challenge though 2023 is already looking promising. My previous visit to Chaddesden had been met with a brick wall/jobsworth at Chaddesden Park Social Club…however; there are other options if you want to be part of Derby’s club scene.

790 – Chaddesden Jubilee Club DE21 6LJ is a great example of how to welcome a guest into a social club as me and my fiftysomething drinking pal footy dad weren’t treated as potential troublemakers but welcomed with open arms.

Bass on the pumps, sausage rolls on the bar, World Cup football on the big (ish) screen, old boys playing cribbage, dartboards and a pool table along with a healthy mixture of young and old punters.

The Bass was creamy and quaffable and the odd knowing nod from the regulars meant it was a pleasurable half hour spent in THE only social club worth visiting in Chadd.

However, the apprenticeship at the B&PF is a tough gig and clubbing is part of the training involves visiting as many as possible to gain ‘experience.’

With this in mind we spent Wednesday evening visiting possibly the biggest (in terms of building) British Legion in the UK at Mickleover.

 791 – Mickleover Royal British Legion DE3 9GQ is an absolute behemoth of a building and the bar is upstairs. 

It was full of life with a bingo evening set to start and, for a Wednesday evening, this place was as banging as any pub.

The chalkboard sad there was cask on but the barman said he’d only just tapped it so it wouldn’t be ready until the weekend….

the go to keg beer of Atlantic Pale Ale (Sharp’s) was a decent alternative and the conversation flowed.

Another Legion well worth a visit just for the sheer size of it and I’d like to think I’m earning my spurs as a clubber so I can join Martin, Mudgie (x2) and Will on the dancefloor before too long…