Chesterfield Arms, the latest winner of Chesterfield and District CAMRA's pub of the year, have won the award twice before while The Old Poets Corner in Ashover and The Arkwright Arms at Duckmanton are both four-times winners.Chesterfield Arms, the latest winner of Chesterfield and District CAMRA's pub of the year, have won the award twice before while The Old Poets Corner in Ashover and The Arkwright Arms at Duckmanton are both four-times winners.
Chesterfield Arms, the latest winner of Chesterfield and District CAMRA's pub of the year, have won the award twice before while The Old Poets Corner in Ashover and The Arkwright Arms at Duckmanton are both four-times winners.

25 photos mark top real ale pubs in Chesterfield and beyond in 25 years of CAMRA award-winners

Real ale drinkers are raising their glasses at a popular watering hole which has been voted the best pub in Chesterfield by the town’s branch of CAMRA.

Emma and Josh Clarke, business owners at the Chesterfield Arms, are poised to be presented with the 2022 award in February.

The couple said: “It's brilliant that Chesterfield CAMRA are stepping up to celebrate our local pubs and bars after such a turbulent time for the industry. We really are fortunate in Chesterfield to have so many great venues, it's an honour to have been voted the best of an exceptional crop.”

The honour comes at an exciting time for the Newbold Road pub which is due to launch its new micro-brewery, run by Josh, who is an experienced brewer.

This is the third time that the Chesterfield Arms has won the town’s pub of the year award from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), previously scooping the honour in 2012 and 2010.

Darren Siseman, chairman of the Chesterfield and district branch of CAMRA, said: “The award was not made in 2021, with pubs being shut, so the winner was rolled over.”

Pubs in 21 areas of the town and outlying villages including Wingerworth, Brimington, Hollingwood and Holmewood are eligible for the award.

Each member of the CAMRA branch nominates up to three pubs in the “Chesterfield” category and three in the “district” category. Judges, who are CAMRA members and have no affiliation to the shortlisted hostelries, choose three finalists then visit and score each of the pubs on the same date and time.

Looking back over a quarter of a century, which is how far that we’ve been able to trace the records of winners, there used to be just one award given out in the CAMRA branch’s annual awards and this was for the Chesterfield and district pub of the year.

Over the years the Arkwright Arms at Duckmanton and the Old Poets Corner in Ashover have each won the title four times. The award has gone as far afield as The Lathkil Hotel in Over Haddon, near Bakewell.

How many of the winning pubs have you visited over the years?

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