North Derbyshire Pub of the Year presentation
A number of CAMRA members from across the area along with local pub regulars assembled at the Miners Arms in Hundall, near Dronfield, on Friday 7th July to celebrate the pub winning CAMRA’s North Derbyshire Pub of the Year award.
CAMRA Regional Organiser Pete Boitoult presented the winners certificate and the whole cast of management and staff got behind the bar for the photo opportunity! A complimentary chilli and garlic bread supper was provided for all in attendance with a choice of hot or mild. We never asked if the chilli plants growing in the pub’s conservatory had been involved!
The pub is a traditional rural village drinkers pub that attracts a wide cross section of customers and has a choice of areas to enjoy your drinks – the main bar area with sport on TV and background music, a quieter lounge area, pool table room, conservatory with sofas and beer garden.
The Miners has a range of 5 real ales served on handpump. The two regular beers are Pictish Alchemist Ale and the locally brewed Drone Valley Dronny Bottom Bitter with an ever changing selection of guest beers on the other three pumps. On the presentation night these included Acorn Summer Ale and Sonnet 43 Raven Stout. The Miners also boasts an extensive range of traditional cider and perry with around 20 listed on the blackboard! There is a discount for Real Ale and Real Cider for CAMRA members of 30p off a pint or 15p off a half every day except Monday when the beer prices are available to everyone at a bargain price!
A new feature on the bar is an extended gin selection with a range of around 15 available including the Sleeping Lemon Gin from the Wild Beer Company! The Miners also offers a selection of bar snacks including pork pies, bhajis, sausage rolls, flans etc supplied by Deli-Licious of Dronfield.
The pub is dog friendly, having some pub dogs of its own as well as numerous customers that bring ‘guest dogs’, a cask of water can be found in the conservatory labelled ‘doggy beer’ and there is a vending machine selling doggy treats to raise money for charity.
A limited bus service is available stopping directly outside the Miners Arms (TM Travel route 14 Dronfield-Chesterfield), otherwise it is walkable from Unstone or a short taxi ride from Dronfield town centre.
The Miners Arms hosts two beer festivals a year with additional guest beers and music. The first is in early June as part of the wider Three Valleys Beer Festival and the other is August Bank Holiday weekend when other events in the village coincide including charity cricket matches and the Land Rover trials.
Congratulations to team Miners for winning this award – beating off competition from other North Derbyshire pubs including our own entry, the Anglers Rest in Bamford – and we wish them good look in the next round of the competition against the other East Midlands winners. The pub that is judged the best in the East Midlands then goes into the national Pub of the Year competition.
Andrew Cullen
(Photo credit: Nick Wheat)
The presentation was timed to coincide with the start of the pub’s own annual midsummer festival, and it must be said there was a fantastic selection of real ales and ciders on offer. Unfortunately, as designated driver for the evening, I wasn’t able to sample as many as I would have liked! In total, there were more than 30 beers available, ranging from local breweries including Abbeydale and Blue Bee, to those a little further afield such as Shropshire’s Salopian Brewery and Brodie’s from East London. The outside bar also stocked a varied cider selection, mainly featuring orchards from the West Country.
There was also no danger of going hungry, as freshly made wood-fired pizzas were available courtesy of the Sunshine Pizza Oven. The pub also kindly put on a spread following the presentation of the certificate. Congratulations once more to Trevor, Lewis and all at the Kelham Island Tavern on being voted Sheffield & District Pub of the Year 2017. 
The presentation was timed to coincide with the club’s second annual beer festival. In addition to the four real ales usually on offer in the clubhouse, an extra eight handpumps had been installed outdoors featuring beers from local breweries including Acorn, Bradfield, Hilltop and White Rose. 
The pub’s design itself is an intriguing mixture of old and new. Concept Design, the company who masterminded the Ship’s aesthetic refurbishment, have blended contemporary design with carefully restored original features discovered by builders as they chipped away through the old paint and plaster. As for the atmosphere, Dean and Sally have turned the Ship into a welcoming and tranquil environment. Candlelit tables and subtle background music, combined with the excellent selection of real ales and food available, create a unique ambience that is not to be missed.
“The Ship Inn is proof that change can be a positive thing. From a pub that at one time was a part off-licence with no ladies, to become a shining light for Kelham Island speaks for itself,” said Dean. Promising more to come, Dean disclosed future plans to add even more hand pulled beer and development of an outside space using shipping containers, to ensure the ongoing growth of the pub.
“Everyone in this area pulls together to make it the special island it has become,” added Dave. “CAMRA are delighted with the entire effort in this small yet impactful community. Awarding the understated Ship Inn this prestige offers a representation of the area making it all that more appealing.” 
Left to right: Richard Vale, Pam Kenworthy, Patrick Johnson (social secretary) and Amanda Taylor. 
