Battered Toffee Crisp

As any pub blogger worth their salts will tell you, it is important to keep your wits about you when you are out ‘ticking pubs.’

With three pubs already added to the Ilkeston list then it was important to find a bit of sustenance and this Derbyshire market town had options aplenty.

However, rather than go for a national brand, I always like to go local and chippies are probably the last bastion of independent food shops.

 The smorgasbord of options in this belter of a shop was impressive…what would you choose?  Battered Toffee Crisp? Battered Double Decker or Battered Snickers? It had a real nineties feel to it and I was half expecting a Battered Marathon but the options didn’t end there.

Onion Rings in a cob with ketchup? Grated cheese n a cob with mayo? Washed down with a Latte (milky coffee) in case you’re not sure….The options were endless although I rather disappointingly settled for a cone of chips!

With food on board it was time to check out 849 – The Burnt Pig DE7 5RB. This was the place my old work colleague had recommended and when I mentioned his name, the gaffer recalled him, which is always a good sign.

It’s a two roomer but all the activity was in the front room with a group of locals chewing the fat over a variety of topics. #Publife at its finest.

It’s been in the GBG so it’s a path that has been well trodden by many but that still doesn’t stop it being a cracking little boozer.

The tunes were right up my street with Prince Buster belting out “Madness” and then Gangsters and Enjoy Yourself followed with some real old skool ska classics.

The beer was excellent, Echo Chamber (Alter Ego) and only £3.50 a pint, the banter was good and the gaffer knew all the punters by name. 

I had a chat with a feller having a fag outside as I left and he couldn’t have been friendlier.

I spoke about my long overdue visit to Ilkeston and he said “fair play to you mate,” and then gave me a low down on all the pubs and pointed me in the direction of my next destination.

The 850 – Spanish Bar DE7 5QJ also had cask on and there was some early drama as the Jaipur had run out and the girl behind the bar couldn’t change the barrel.

However, it was no major issue as Martin’s favourite beer Doom Bar (Sharp’s) came to the rescue and it was in good nick with the added bonus of being just £3.10 a pint.

It’s a big old place and was the quietest of the pubs I’d been in but there was a steady thoroughfare and the racing channel was on the TV, which is always a good sign, as were the hanging baskets.

The landlady was friendly and welcoming and a good way to end an afternoon in Ilkeston. 

A proper pub town with proper beer, proper punters, proper prices and proper humour.