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A Casual Crawl Through Ilkeston, Heanor, Loscoe and Langley Mill
I kicked things off in Ilkeston, drifting between great little spots like The Burnt Pig, The Crafty One, Let It Be-Gin, Stanton Cask, Beestonia and the cosy Marlpool Ale House. After that I wandered down into Heanor for a few more laid-back micropubs, each with its own charm, before heading over to Loscoe for a pint at The Tip Inn and some top-notch fish and chips. I wrapped the day up in Langley Mill with a couple of relaxed pints to finish things off. By the end I’d happily roamed through Ilkeston, Heanor, Loscoe and Langley Mill with great beer all the way.
Ilkeston, Heanor, Loscoe and Langley Mill all grew up together thanks to coal, iron and textiles. Ilkeston started as a tiny medieval place and later boomed with Stanton Ironworks and lace making. Heanor shot up in the nineteenth century when the coal pits got busy. Loscoe stayed smaller but kept things going by supporting the mines. Langley Mill made the most of its canals and trains, filling up with mills and engineering works. When the pits shut, all four places took a hit, but they’ve kept their character and carried on adapting ever since.
Ilkeston
The Burnt Pig
After arriving into Ilkeston and having breakfast myself and Neil headed to The Burnt Pig. The Burnt Pig in Ilkeston opened in 2015 after the original owner bought the Market Street building and decided a micropub would be more fun than turning it into housing. It slowly built up a loyal crowd and got a name for serving cracking local beers and keeping things friendly and down-to-earth. Word spread over the years, and it ended up getting some serious recognition. By 2025 it had won CAMRA’s East Midlands Pub of the Year and even made it into the UK’s top sixteen pubs — not bad for a tiny independent place that started almost by accident.
Inside, the Burnt Pig has a relaxed, homely vibe. It’s made up of three small, cosy rooms with bits of quirky pub memorabilia and comfy places to settle in. The log burner adds a warm touch on colder days, and the whole place feels friendly and easy-going. One of the highlights is the food — there’s a big fridge packed with pork pies, cheese, sausage rolls and loads of other bits, all available to eat in or take away. It’s simple, hearty stuff that fits the laid-back feel of the pub perfectly.
A fantastic warm welcome from Ben today as always and on the bar serving a selection of 6 cask ales along with a range of keg beers, and a wide variety of ciders. I went with “Kipling” from Thornbridge Brewery. A fantastic and delicious New Zealand Pale Ale, packed full of flavour.
The Crafty One Bar and Bottle Shop
Just around the corner brings me to The Crafty One Bar and Bottle Shop. The Crafty One opened on South Street, Ilkeston, in mid-December 2016, taking over what had been a fairly ordinary shop unit. Bit by bit, the place transformed into a relaxed, modern spot that quickly fitted into the flow of local life. People watched it change from an empty shell into somewhere with its own atmosphere and personality, adding a fresh touch to South Street. Its arrival became a small but noticeable moment in the slow renewal of Ilkeston’s high street. Before long, The Crafty One felt like one of those places that had simply always been there, part of the town’s everyday story.
Inside, The Crafty One has a relaxed, modern vibe with a bit of an industrial twist. You’ll find plenty of wooden tables and benches that keep things simple and sturdy, plus a few barrel-topped tables where people tend to stand and chat. Nothing feels overdone — it’s all pretty down-to-earth and easy to get comfortable in. There’s a good mix of spots to sit or hover, so it works whether you’re popping in on your own or meeting up with mates. Overall, it has that laid-back, lived-in feel that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy the place.
A great warm welcome as always in here and a fantastic beer line up with 2 cask ales, 8 keg beers, a variety of ciders and shelves packed full of cans to drink in or takeaway. I went for “Radioactive Worms” from Azvex Brewing Company. A super hazy and super tasty New England IPA hopped using Cashmere and Motueka hops.
Let It Be-Gin
If you ever visit Ilkeston make sure you drop into Let Ot Be-Gin on the main high street. Let It Be-Gin started in 2021 when Joanne Marsh opened a small shop on Bath Street with one goal: to share her love of good gin. It quickly turned into the sort of place where you pop in for “just a look” and end up chatting, sampling something new, and leaving with a bottle you didn’t plan to buy. Local distillers drop by, new flavours appear all the time, and the whole spot has a relaxed, welcoming feel. These days it’s less like a business and more like a friendly little hub for anyone who simply enjoys a decent gin.
The Stanton Cask
Down to the bottom of the high street brings me next to The Stanton Cask. Stanton Cask on Bath Street has had a few lives. Long before it poured pints, the building was part of a row of old cottages that later became a small grocery and beer house. More recently it was known as the Ilson Tap, a cosy micropub with a focus on proper ale. In June 2023 it reopened as Stanton Cask, taking its name from the historic Stanton Iron Works that shaped the town for generations. Today it keeps things straightforward: good beer, an easygoing atmosphere, and a quiet nod to Ilkeston’s industrial past.
Inside, Stanton Cask feels relaxed and welcoming. The single-room layout is lined with deep red bench seating, scattered with seasonal cushions and small autumnal centrepieces on the tables. Barrel-style tables and simple wooden stools add to the unfussy feel, while large industrial prints from the old ironworks give the place its character. A dartboard hangs opposite the windows, adding a bit of friendly pub energy. It’s the sort of spot where you can settle in comfortably, enjoy a proper pint, and take things at your own pace — nothing fancy, just a warm, friendly place that does exactly what a good pub should.
Another fantastic warm welcome in here today. On the bar a selection of 4 cask ales to choose from along with a number of keg options. I went with a local beer “Barrel SMaSH – Cashmere” from Red Dog Ales. A very easy drinking and refreshing single hopped pale ale.
Beestonia Brewing Company
A short taxi ride out from Ilkeston brings me to Beestonia Brewing Company. Beestonia Brewing Company got its start in January 2022, when it was officially set up in Long Eaton. The plan was simple: build a small, independent brewery with a focus on quality beer. In May 2024, the team took the next step and opened their taproom beside the Erewash Canal at Hallam Fields Lock. From there, Beestonia began brewing and serving its own ales while steadily gaining attention in Derbyshire’s beer scene. It’s a young brewery, but its timeline is already marked by steady growth and a clear sense of purpose from day one.
Step inside Beestonia and it feels a bit like walking into a mate’s workshop where the tools happen to turn out beer. The fermenters sit only a few paces from the tables, quietly bubbling while people enjoy fresh pints. There’s the gentle hum of the kit, the clink of glasses, and the easy back-and-forth with the person behind the bar, who’s usually happy to chat about what’s brewing next. It’s relaxed, unfussy and inviting — the sort of place you settle into without thinking, drinking beer that’s travelled only a few metres to reach your glass.
A great welcome from Dave in here and great to meet Catherine and her partner in here. On the bar a selection of 5 cask ales (one being a guest), alongside a choice of keg beers. I went with their own “Topanga Park”. A refreshing, light and easy drinking New Zealand Pale Ale.
The Marlpool Brewing Co
Onto The Marlpool Brewing Co next. Marlpool Brewing Co started up in 2010 when brothers Andy and Chris McAuley set up a small 2.5-barrel brewery in the old out-buildings behind a butcher’s shop on Breach Road in Marlpool, Derbyshire. A few months later, in September 2010, they opened the Marlpool Ale House in the former shop itself. It quickly became known as one of the earliest micropubs in the UK and the very first in Derbyshire. From there the brewery built a steady following for its traditional cask ales and helped spark more interest in small, local brewing across the area.
Inside the Marlpool Ale House you’ll find a small, homely setup that still shows its past as a butcher’s shop. The bar is famously made from an old Methodist chapel pulpit, which adds a quirky touch. The rooms are cosy and narrow, decorated with old brewery mirrors, jugs and all sorts of collected bits and pieces. There’s a second little room at the back with a wood-burning stove and a big shared table, so it feels welcoming and unpretentious. When the weather’s decent, there’s also a tiny beer garden out back where people settle in with a pint.
Such a fantastic warm welcome as always in here, a great cosy spot full of conversation and humour. On the bar a selection of 6 cask ales, 3 of which are their own. I went with their own “Blind Boris”. A super tasty Traditional Dark Mild, very enjoyable.
Heanor
The Angry Bee
A short walk down the hill into Heanor brings me next to The Angry Bee. The Angry Bee sits in a little old building on Godfrey Street that’s been through a bit of everything over the years — small shops, bits of housing, whatever the town needed at the time. It eventually ended up empty, just another quiet corner of Heanor, until it was turned into a micropub in 2016. The place kept its simple shop-front feel, just given a fresh purpose and a bit of life again. The name “Angry Bee” suits it — a small spot with a bit of buzz, bringing some warmth and character back to a building that’s seen plenty of changes.
Inside, The Angry Bee is one open, welcoming room with a warm, laid-back vibe. Fairy lights are strung across the ceiling, giving everything a soft, cheerful glow, and the mix of exposed brick and simple white walls keeps it feeling homely rather than polished. The bar runs along the right, full of hand-pulls, chalkboards and little bits of personality. Tables and stools fill the rest of the space, and when it gets busy there’s a relaxed, chatty buzz. It’s cosy, easy-going and unpretentious — just a nice place to settle in with a drink and feel comfortable.
On the bar a choice of 5 cask ales to choose from along with a range of ciders. I opted to go with “Galaxia” from Thornbridge Brewery. A tasty Australian Pale Ale, hopped using the Australian Galaxy Hop.
The Redemption Ale House
Around the corner to The Redemption Ale House. Redemption Ale House has a name that already suggests it’s been given a fresh start, and that pretty much fits its story. Before it became a pub in 2016, the place was the local butcher’s shop — something you can still tell from old photos linked with the building. No one’s said exactly why the name “Redemption” was picked, but it makes sense for a building that’s basically been revived and given a new purpose, going from cuts of meat to casual catch-ups and slipping comfortably back into everyday Heanor life.
Inside Redemption Ale House, everything feels pretty laid-back and welcoming. There’s a tiled floor, simple wood panelling and a log burner that gives the place a warm, homely feel without trying too hard. The seating’s a mix of spots to perch, nothing fancy, just comfortable. Head up the little staircase and there’s a quieter area that feels a bit tucked away from the main buzz. Overall, it has an easy, down-to-earth vibe — the kind of place where people drift into conversation and the building’s older character blends in naturally with its more modern micropub feel.
A great beer line up in here with 8 cask ales to choose from along with a great keg and cider selection. I went with “Treason” from Stancill Brewery. A super tasty Parkin Porter, full of flavour and very comforting.
Hop Wright Inn
Over the road to Hop Wright Inn . The Hop Wright Inn got its current name in 2023, when new owners took over and changed it from the old Crooked Cask. The place had first become a micropub back in December 2018, turning a simple commercial building into a spot for proper real ale. A little later, around 2024, the tiny Popeye Brewery popped up on-site, adding small-batch brewing into the mix. So its recent story is pretty simple: a micropub from 2018, a fresh name in 2023, and a bit of brewing magic added not long after.
Inside the Hop Wright Inn it’s all pretty laid-back and homely. The front room is small and wood-panelled, with a mix of high stools and comfy spots to perch, so it feels a bit like someone’s front room that just happens to have great beer. Head towards the back and there’s another little room that keeps the same easy vibe, nothing flashy or overdone. The décor is simple with a few quirky touches, enough to give it personality without trying too hard. There’s even a great beer garden out the back if you fancy some fresh air with your pint.
On the bar a selection of 4 cask ales, alongside a range of keg options and ciders. Some delicious cons and scotch eggs available on the bar aswell. I went with “Mrs Doyle” from Falstaff Brewery. A tasty, easy drinking and full of flavour pale ale.
Dead Man’s Tankard
Last up in Heanor was to Dead Man’s Tankard. Dead Man’s Tankard sits in a simple Victorian shopfront on Market Street, part of the row that went up after the old Heanor Hall estate land was sold off in the late 1880s. Before becoming a pub, the place spent years as a small retail unit and was most recently known as an antiques shop called Vintiqables. Market Street itself grew from open land and old colliery workings into Heanor’s main shopping area by the 1890s, and the building has kept its straightforward late-19th-century look ever since.
Walk through the door of Dead Man’s Tankard and it feels a bit like you’ve wandered into someone’s cosy front room that just happens to have a bar in it. The space is small enough that you can take it all in with one glance, but that’s part of the charm — benches along the wall, a snug little bar, and those quirky touches you only notice once you’ve settled in. The odd ornaments, the lived-in feel, it all adds up. People chat easily here; after a few minutes, you feel like you’ve been coming for years.
On the bar a great line up of 4 cask ales alongside a range of craft keg options. I went with “Ravening Wolf” from Wantsum Brewery. Named after nickname given to Odo, Earl of Kent and half brother of William the Conqueror who was tried for defrauding the crown. A fantastic strong New Zealand Pale Ale.
Loscoe
The Tip Inn
A short bus ride out to Loscoe to visit The Tip Inn / Alter Ego Brewing Co. The Tip Inn in Loscoe really found its groove in January 2020, when Alter Ego Brewing Co—set up in 2018 and steadily growing ever since—took over the little High Street spot and made it their tap pub. Alter Ego had started brewing in Heanor before moving to a bigger six-barrel set-up in Alfreton in 2022, giving them room to play with both classic cask ales and modern craft ideas. With that momentum behind them, they turned The Tip Inn into a laid-back, chatty kind of place, pouring their own small-batch beers (plus the odd guest) and keeping things simple, friendly, and very local.
Inside The Tip Inn, everything feels easy-going and down-to-earth. It’s a small, no-fuss micropub with a couple of simple rooms, close tables, and that gentle hum of people actually chatting rather than staring at screens. There’s no blaring music or TVs—just the sound of pints being pulled and friendly conversations drifting around. The décor’s cosy in a straightforward, lived-in way, more about comfort than showing off. When the weather behaves, the little beer garden out back gives you a bit of fresh air. Overall, it’s the kind of place where you can wander in, grab a pint, and feel at home straight away.
On the bar a line up of 6 cask ales alongside a range of keg beers and a fridge full of cans if you fancy something to takeaway. I went for “Incognito” from Alter Ego Brewery. A great American IPA hopped with Columbus, Centennial and Chinook hops.
If you get chance drop over the road to Mrs Sea’s – Fish and Chip Shop. Really fantastic quality fish and chips with weekly specials to enjoy (and you can enjoy them in the pub!)
Langley Mill
The Bunny Hop Ale House
Back on the bus over to nearby Langley Mill. First up here was to The Bunny Hop Ale House. The Bunny Hop Ale House sits in a modest spot on Cromford Road, right in the middle of Langley Mill’s old working-village setting shaped by canals, railways and industry. Before it opened as a micropub in 2016, the place was simply a shop, part of the everyday high street as the area shifted from busy factories to something quieter. Turning it into The Bunny Hop brought a bit of warmth and character back to the building, giving it a new life.
Inside The Bunny Hop Ale House the vibe is friendly and laid-back. Downstairs has a cosy feel with a log burner, a small bar and snug corners that make it easy to settle in. Head upstairs and things open up into a relaxed lounge with comfy sofas and a quieter, homely atmosphere. It’s the sort of place where you can chat without shouting or just take your time over the evening. There’s also a south-facing garden out back, so when the weather’s decent you can drift outside and enjoy a bit more space.
On the bar a selection of 4 cask ales alongside a range of keg options to choose from. I opted to go with “Mild Steel” from Stancill Brewery. A very enjoyable Light Mild, full of flavour.
Railway Tavern Micro Bar
Last up was around the corner to Railway Tavern Micro Bar. The Railway Tavern on Station Road in Langley Mill kept its old name for most of its life, then closed in 2018 before new owners stepped in. It was given a fresh overhaul and reopened in December 2019 as the Railway Tavern Micro Bar, keeping the original name but with a more modern, laid-back feel. The place has a simple two-storey look from the outside, with cream walls, a pitched roof and green woodwork, giving it the kind of familiar, easy-going appearance you’d expect from a long-standing local spot.
Inside, the Railway Tavern Micro Bar has a relaxed, friendly feel — the sort of place where you walk in and instantly know it’s not trying to be fancy. There’s plenty of comfy seating, whether you want to sit at the bar or grab a quiet corner. The décor is simple and warm, with wood here and there, soft lighting and a clean, no-nonsense style. It’s the kind of space where people chat easily and no one’s in a rush. There’s also a small outdoor spot if you want some fresh air. Overall, it’s easy-going, welcoming and very down-to-earth.
On the bar a choice of 3 cask ales, alongside a selection of keg options to choose from. I went with “Kringle Juice” from Hollow Stone Brewing Company. A fantastic Session IPA with some delicious winter berry flavours coming through.
Micropub Adventures 