'Famous people, local heroes, tragic events and even murders' - Chesterfield Great Historic Pub Tour guide share stories from town's past

The tour will give participants the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon experiencing great pubs with the most attractive real ale offerings. Its well-versed guide, Shaun Stevenson, is happy to meet anyone arriving by train at Chesterfield station, in order to accompany them to the starting point.

Shaun, a local history enthusiast with a passion for supporting the hospitality trade, will share his extensive knowledge on the pubs, despite the fact that he is legally blind. “I know Chesterfield like the back of my hand,” he said. “If you join me on one of my tours, I’ll tell you all about these fabulous places, including stories about famous people, local heroes, tragic events and even murders”.

Chesterfield has managed to retain its historic town centre with its recently revamped open air market attracting many new visitors. Shaun is keen to show off his home town and promises to indulge in some history telling as the tour passes through landmarks like the Crooked Spire churchyard, The Shambles and the 800-year-old market square, with its cobblestones and narrow alleyways.

The pub tour begins at 12 noon in the Pig & Pump on St Mary’s Gate, in the shadow of the Crooked Spire. This walking tour allows around 30 minutes at each venue to purchase the drink of your choice. The group will then move on to the next pub with interesting anecdotes along the way. An optional pre-arranged lunch is available around 3pm and the tour finishes at The Neptune Beer Emporium around 5pm/6pm. From there, Shaun can guide any guest back to the station, if required, having covered less than two miles from start to finish.

The tour is accessible by mobility scooter, although the presence of steps up to some pubs and cobblestones must be considered. This tour is also dog friendly.

Dates for 2026 are limited to Saturdays - May 9, June 6, July 4, August 1, September 5.

Shaun has been operating the Chesterfield Great Historic Pub Tour since 2019 and has noticed a trend towards real ale tourism. “Organisations like CAMRA and some enterprising individuals have created an entire industry around ‘making a day of it’. Structured pub tours based around locations and transport links are becoming very popular and I would like to think that my tour offers something different, within this genre”. He added, “I’m looking forward to welcoming friends old and new. Regulars return every year, knowing that I always tell new stories and visit new places.”

Booking in advance is recommended and costs £10 per person. Tickets are available via the Facebook page or by texting 07908 183160. You can, alternatively, pay on the day for £15, cash only.

Private tours for clubs, groups and parties can be arranged using the same contact details as above, minimum of 10 people.

Shaun also provides pub tours of Bakewell on selected Saturdays throughout the summer and a popular local drinking challenge, the Brampton Mile, on bank holiday Sundays.

For more details, visit www.greathistoricpubtours.co.uk, Facebook - search @CGHPT and YouTube - @Great Historic Pub Tours.