Latest reviews from Derby New Normanton
| 64 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “One of the earliest “discoveries” on my Never Ending Pub Crawl of Derby. Been back many a time since, in fact the landlady once told me “you come here more often than some of our regulars” ! Prior to this month, I hadn’t been for two years however, as it has been slow to recover from Covid, and still has (slightly) reduced opening hours.
Normally I start these reviews with instructions of how to get there. However, in this case all I can says is it’s in a maze of back streets off Normanton Road. It’s on the corner of Society Place and Silverhill Street with the entrance just in the latter.
Take the door to the left which leads you into the main bar. This is quadrant shaped and furnished very plainly, but your eyes immediately drawn to the bar on the right. The area behind has all sorts of bric-a-brac displayed, and there is a magnificent fireplace adjoining it. Follow through to a larger room with beer-related poster on the wall and a purple pool table. Beyond that the forridor to the toilets is decorated with large rusting enamel signs. To the right of this is the “Offilers room” which is stuffed full of memorabilia relating to that brewery. This room is sometimes closed but the bar staff will open it up if you ask (it’s worth it !). [ Offiler’s brewery was nearby, but this was never one of their tied houses ]
There is a small TV in the main room, usually showing either racing or rugby.
Beer is almost all from the adjacent Falstaff brewery. There are four handpumps, of which 3 are regulars (Fistful of Hops, Phoenix, Smiling Assassin). The fourth beer is normally one of their numerous themed “specials” or occasionally a guest beer. If you are looking for a range of Falstaff beers I’m afraid you won’t find them here. They do stock their occasional bottled beers though.
Very much an acquired taste this place. You’re unlikely to find any beers which you couldn’t get elsewhere, so don’t bother if that is your sole focus. However, if you like a sprawling architectural gem with good bonhomie, then this is the place for you. Personally I love it.
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| 60 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “I didn't quite get the vibe for this pub, well worn backstreet boozer that it is. The two Falstaff beers I tried were average/disappointing, although prices are cheap for Derby. Not really worth the trek out from the city centre in my opinion but other ale heads will probably find the shabby charm of this place appealing.“ |
| 70 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “Visited on 22nd October 2016. Got a cab from Derby station as it’s a trek although did walk back to the Babington Arms in just under 15 mins afterwards. It’s tucked away just off Normanton Road in the back streets
Nice old pub, 2 rooms, local clientele, had 4 of their own beers on cask in good condition. Staff were friendly, locals friendly too.
Nice spot.“ |
| 72 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “Atmospheric and charming two-room pub offering five Falstaff ales at cheap, cheap, cheap prices. Bare bones with no piped music - although there is a jukebox. No guests but the brewery’s beers are worth trying (although they also seem liberally available throughout Derby).
One of those rare pubs which is so much more than the sum of its parts. Highly recommended.“ |
| 72 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “We visited here on Saturday 16th January 2015 we being me, Loz, my dad and Pauline. This pub is a little bit of a trek from the centre about 15-20 mins to the district of Normanton. There are rows and rows of tightly packed victorian terraces around here and it is just along here where you will find the Falstaff brewpub on the corner of one such terrace and just a few hundred feet away from a different world from when this originally started life, as it is now in a vibrant predominantly Asian area with Asian supermarkets, Halal butchers and Sari shops. The Falstaff is an attractive pub both from the outside and on the inside appearing much bigger and going much further back than you’d imagine from that initial external view. We could smell that something was brewing at the brewery at the rear of the pub as we approached. The front bar to the left as you enter is tight but cosy with seating around the edge lots of wood, a number of interesting items on shelves (different marmite jars for instance) and a ticking clock making its presence known. It was early in the day and therefore a little quiet when we entered also Derby were at home to Forest in the early lunchtime kick off so no surprise that there was only 2-3 others in here. The landlady was polishing the handpumps and I have to say whilst this place may be quite old it was absolutely pristine, it was spotless, the loos had just been mopped out, you could tell that the landlady who was really lovely btw was very house proud or should I say pub proud. Beer choice was limited to just their own Falstaff beers with 3 h/p available on our visit, none of which blew me away but all were perfectly acceptable. I guess that this caters perfectly for its own crowd, it doesn’t need to offer a huge range being situated where it is. Its a lovely, friendly interesting bar and well worth the trek to get here, beer and beer choice however is unlikely to blow you away.“ |
| 74 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “A rather run down pub in a run down part of Derby. Good ale and good conversation make a visit worthwhile.“ |
| 82 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “A very cozy brewpub, not in the city centre. A nice chat with barmate over the pint. Interesting own beers (2010).“ |
| 68 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “A perfect back street pub rather shabby and run down, but friendly and with good beer. Well worth the walk.“ |
| 44 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “Great little out the way gem, also a brewPub. Quite a rough area out of the city, but worth the trek. Tends ot have stronger beers available at a reasonable price. Occational Beer Festivals“ |
| 76 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “Great boozer on the edges of the city, hard to find but worth it. Multi roomed, slightly shabby, but friendly and welcoming, apart from the dog (do not take the wrong turn to the loo like I did!!). Constantly changing beer range serving their own beers. Great place.“ |
| 84 /100 74 SILVER HILL ROAD “Proper back street boozer, out of the city, loved by locals and tickers alike. Two rooms, busy front bar and no-smoking room at the back with pool table and jukebox. Always a selection of Falstaff Brewery beers on (brewed next door to the pub). Rough and ready at the edges but all the better for it.“ |
