Peak Ales take on first pub near Chesterfield to showcase award-winning craft beers and gin

The Lamb Inn at Holymoorside is the first pub to be taken on by Peak Ales to showcase the Derbyshire Dales brewery’s award-winning craft beers and gin.

Peak Ales owners Robert and Debra Evans, who live in Bakewell, are managing the Lamb Inn. Robert says on the brewery’s website: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Peak Ales. Traditional wet led pubs are becoming a rarity. I am pleased that the Lamb will remain open and welcome all who are looking for good beer and good company in a friendly pub.”

Renovations are taking place between opening times. JoJo Cater, who works in sales and marketing at Peak Ales, said: “We're sorting out the floors, decorating it, taking it into the 21st century. It's not had wi-fi and it’s always been cash, now we’ve got card payments.

“Peak Ales are running the Lamb, we’ve not bought it. The pub has been very busy since we took it over just before Christmas. It’s great to have our beer on tap towards Chesterfield.

"We have Chatsworth Gold, Bakewell Best, Swift Nick, an American Pale Ale that has gone down very well and other guest brews. We have Chatsworth Rose Pink Gin which recently won an award at the World Gin Awards which is great.”

The Lamb was first recorded as a public house in the mid-19th century when it formed part of a butchers business.

Prior to being taken over by Peak Ales, the pub was owned by Alan and Pat Goucher who had been running it for more than 30 years and Pat’s parents had it before then.

Robert and Debra Evans set up Peak Ales as a microbrewery in a converted barn on the Chatsworth estate in 2005, having spent two years renovating the disused building. Nine years later they expanded the operation by upgrading their brewing equipment to a 20-barrel plant and moving to a purpose-built base in Ashford in the Water. The couple retained the barn at Chatsworth where it became a brewery visitor centre, gin distillery and a venue available for private hire. Gin has been distilled there since 2019 and was launched at Chatsworth Country Fair.