Chesterfield CAMRA
Special Award 2003
The Hay, Shirland
There were double celebrations at The Hay in
Shirland at the end of July this year. Not only were Janey and Malcolm
Mackenzie celebrating their first anniversary as licensees of the pub, they
were also recipients of the first Chesterfield & District CAMRA’s Annual
Award for their Special Contribution to Branch Campaigning. Janey and
Malcolm have been in the hospitality industry in one shape or form for
around 45 years and their experience certainly shines through. They are also
no strangers to running pubs and have had plenty of practice at receiving
CAMRA recognition - their previous pub, The Malt Shovel Tavern in
Northampton, was voted CAMRA Pub of Year four years on the trot and gained
countless other awards during their six year tenure, including East Midland
Pub of the Year. The Hay sees their first foray into pub ownership and, in
just one year, they have managed to turn the pub from a nitro-keg desert
into a Cask Ale oasis!
The Hay can be found on the A61 ~ the main Chesterfield to Derby road, not
far from Higham and Alfreton. It is accessible by car and is also on the
route of the Red Arrow Bus service which runs throughout the day between
Chesterfield, Derby and Nottingham ~ you can also get there on the 97 and 98
buses too. It is the end building on Main Road and is a distinctive white
building with an interesting shaped roof and a lovely array of hanging
baskets on the frontage. Although there is no pub sign to guide you the pub
is quite easy to spot ~ just slow down a little as you are heading along
Main Road and you will some come to number 135. The name of the pub is
displayed on signboards on the front and side walls so you can look out for
it as you approach. There is a car park to the right for those unfortunate
designated drivers, but I recommend finding some other way to get there so
that you can sample the delights inside.
Once you have entered the front door you will find a comfortable one room
pub split into two halves by the central "U" shaped bar area. The seating is
comfortable and the pub feels warm and welcoming. The walls are decorated
with framed posters and prints, many of which relate to Real Ale and the
Peak District. We were also interested to see that they had a weekly quiz
night and regular entertainment.
On the night we visited there were four Cask ales to choose from ~ Kimberley
Mild (a welcome regular fixture), Artists Revival, Topsy Turvy (potent but
tasty) and Everard’s Tiger. These were all served in excellent condition as
was, we were reliably informed, the Cask Cider. As well as these there was
also a choice of Country Wines and a selection of Belgian Beers. All the
Cask Ales ranged from £1.70 to £2.20 and we were suitably impressed with
both the quality and the choice. It was great to see that all tastes were
catered for and that there would always be a Mild and a Cask cider at the
bar.
 Janey
and Malcolm looked really happy to be receiving the award and the regulars
looked on with approval (even if they were slightly bemused by our presence
~ I think they were expecting the musical act to begin!). It was also nice
to learn that Janey and Malcolm have been CAMRA members themselves for a
number of years. Our visit to The Hay was enjoyable and, as we boarded the
minibus back to Chesterfield, we felt safe in the knowledge that the future
of Cask Ale in Shirland was in good hands.
Andrea Waterhouse
This webpage was last updated on
Sunday, 07 October 2007
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