Tom Hardwick

A guide to pubs, restaurants and cafés across Derbyshire and the Peak District that have received Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, placing them among the top 10% of listings globally. The visible selections include the Ashford Arms in Ashford-in-the-Water, Sicily Restaurant in Chesterfield, The Prince of Wales in Baslow and The Bulls Head in Holymoorside; the Ashford Arms is noted as ranking among the top 1% worldwide, while The Bulls Head is also featured in the Michelin Guide.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital has introduced body-worn cameras for its security team as hot weather and increased demand place additional pressure on the A&E department. Hospital leaders are urging patients and visitors to treat staff respectfully and to consider NHS 111, pharmacies, urgent treatment centres or GP services when appropriate. The trust says more than a dozen incidents during 2025/26 led to formal or legal action, including exclusions, arrests, prosecutions and prison sentences. Cameras are intended to help de-escalate confrontations and provide evidence when threatening, abusive or violent behaviour occurs.

Matlock is recommended as a summer destination on the edge of the Peak District, offering scenic views, pubs, restaurants and distinctive local attractions. Suggested places to eat include Mad Hatter, Ostello Lounge and the Michelin-listed Stones. Nearby Matlock Bath is highlighted for its “Little Switzerland” character, warm-spring history, chip shops, amusements, the Heights of Abraham and its cable cars. Several pubs and bars, including the Thorn Tree Inn, The Newsroom and RABONA, are also recommended.

Several areas across Derbyshire and the Peak District are highlighted as desirable places to live based on household income, average house prices and male and female life expectancy. Locations including Bakewell North, Baslow and Calver; Brookside and Walton; and Hathersage, Tideswell and Bradwell generally exceed national life-expectancy averages, while household incomes and property prices are comparatively high. South Derbyshire and Derby were excluded, and the areas are not ranked.

The Derbyshire Dales has been identified as the UK’s pub capital, with 152 pubs and bars—about 25 per 10,000 adult residents—according to a Daily Mail analysis of government statistics. The article recommends several venues for summer visits, including the Hope & Anchor in Wirksworth, the Devonshire Arms in Hartington, the Bulls Head in Ashford-in-the-Water and the Pilsley Inn in Pilsley.

The Crispin, a family-run pub in Taddington in the Peak District, is presented as an appealing summer destination. Sisters Hayley and Lydia Rowlinson have run the pub for about four and a half years after taking over from their parents, who had operated it for 16 and a half years. Hayley explains that the family’s decision to continue running the pub was shaped by the opportunities and changes following the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as their longstanding connections with the village.

A guide to notable restaurants and pubs in Derbyshire and the Peak District that have received at least one AA Rosette. The visible listings include the historic Rutland Arms in Bakewell, Santo's Higham Farm Hotel in Higham, The Bulls Head in Holymoorside and the Prince of Wales in Baslow, with the venues praised for local produce, distinctive menus and high standards of dining.

A summer travel guide highlights beautiful places to visit in Derbyshire and the Peak District, including Longshaw Estate, Chatsworth House, Mam Tor, and the National Trust’s Kinder, Edale and High Peak Estate. The destinations are presented as offering scenic views, historic landmarks, family activities, and opportunities for walking and exploring.

Toll Bar Fish & Chips in Stoney Middleton is celebrating 100 years of serving the Peak District. Owner Pete Grafton attributes its longevity to traditional village life, loyal local customers, homemade preparation methods and locally sourced potatoes and peas. The shop does not offer online ordering or delivery, preferring to remain a social hub and support isolated residents. Celebrity visitors have included Liam Gallagher and Jarvis Cocker, while Grafton’s son Harry now manages daily operations. Anniversary celebrations will include a performance by Hathersage Brass Band.

Tissington is highlighted as a top destination to visit in the Peak District during summer, noted for its scenic setting, walking routes and rich heritage. The village is known for its historic well-dressing tradition dating back to 1348 and for Tissington Hall, owned by the FitzHerbert family, which opens to the public on select dates. Its proximity to Ashbourne and Carsington Water adds to its appeal as a convenient and picturesque location to explore.

Highlights notable destinations across Derbyshire and the Peak District, including Hardwick Hall, Longshaw Estate, Matlock Bath and Edensor. Describes their historical significance, scenic qualities and appeal for summer visitors, noting figures such as Bess of Hardwick, Lord Byron and John F Kennedy in relation to these locations.

Derbyshire and the Peak District are promoted as top summer destinations, highlighting scenic landscapes, historic houses such as Chatsworth, popular towns like Bakewell, and notable cultural links. The area is framed as ideal for day trips or weekend breaks, offering natural beauty, walking routes and notable attractions across the region.

A selection of 37 award‑winning restaurants across Derbyshire and the Peak District is highlighted, featuring establishments recognised by the Michelin Guide, Good Food Awards and Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, offering a range of dining experiences from country inns to fine dining venues.

A selection of historic castles and stately homes across Derbyshire and the Peak District is highlighted as ideal summer attractions, including Tissington Hall, Renishaw Hall, Hardwick Hall and Haddon Hall, with brief notes on their history, ownership and public opening dates.

Chapel-en-le-Frith is highlighted as an ideal summer destination on the edge of the Peak District, offering scenic countryside access, walking routes such as Combs Reservoir, regular traditional and vintage markets, and popular seasonal events including a summer carnival and May Day celebrations.

Derbyshire and the Peak District are highlighted as major visitor destinations, with recommendations to explore their historical connections to Robin Hood, tour the Chatsworth estate, visit Matlock Bath—nicknamed ‘little Switzerland’—and enjoy the region’s well-known walking routes. These sites and experiences are presented as essential parts of any visit to the area.

Winster is highlighted as one of the Peak District’s most attractive summer destinations, offering historic architecture, over 70 listed buildings, and a rich mining heritage. The village features notable sites such as the 16th-century Market House, the first property acquired by the National Trust in Derbyshire, and local landmarks including The Miners Standard pub. With scenic surroundings and preserved history, Winster is presented as an ideal choice for a Derbyshire day trip.

Police were called to the Nine Ladies Stone Circle in Stanton Lees, Derbyshire, on June 22 after the body of a 26-year-old man was found. A 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on June 24 and remained in custody. Derbyshire Police appealed to people who attended the area for the summer solstice, particularly anyone with video footage, to help establish what happened and identify those responsible.

The guide highlights 26 places in and around the Peak District and Derbyshire suitable for Easter outings, including scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, country houses and woodland locations. Featured destinations include Solomon’s Temple, also known as Grinlow Tower, above Buxton, and Osmaston Sawmill near Ashbourne, while Mam Tor is recommended for its panoramic views over the Hope Valley.

Derbyshire County Council has warned motorists to expect heavier-than-usual traffic around Bakewell and the Chatsworth area during a weekend of Christmas events. Drivers travelling near Chatsworth, Thornbridge Hall, Bakewell and Haddon Hall are advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

Police bodycam footage shows the arrest of Mark Taylor after he stabbed his wife repeatedly at their home in Baslow, locked her inside and fled with the couple’s teenage son. The victim escaped through a bedroom window and attracted help from a passing dog walker before being taken to hospital with wounds to her neck, arm, chest and stomach. Taylor was tracked by automatic number-plate recognition cameras into Cheshire, arrested by Cheshire Police and later convicted of attempted murder at Derby Crown Court on 15 August 2024. Police said the victim had endured domestic abuse from Taylor for around 40 years and that the attack could have been fatal; Taylor is awaiting sentencing.

Charges of assault by beating and controlling or coercive behaviour against Charles Drury, Lauren Goodger’s former partner, were dropped at Snaresbrook Crown Court after Goodger withdrew her support for the case. The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence, and the judge directed not-guilty verdicts on both charges. The allegations concerned an incident on the day of the funeral of the couple’s infant daughter and alleged coercive behaviour in August 2022.

Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare in Chesterfield is set to appear on Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving Badly after host Graeme Hall filmed at its secure 5.5-acre site. The centre’s field was used to train two dogs to walk better on leads, and the episode is expected to air in summer 2024. Owner Dawn Brown said the selection was an exciting opportunity that could raise the business’s profile, while the centre’s wider services include daytime enrichment, on-site walks and a luxury dog hotel.

Two people were found dead at a property in Pankhurst Place, Clay Cross, near Chesterfield, after Derbyshire Police were called on September 10, 2023. Police said an investigation is underway, formal identification remains outstanding, post-mortems have been arranged, and no one else is being sought because the incident is considered isolated. Family members and the coroner have been informed.

Hulleys of Baslow is launching the Breezer Hope Valley Service, an hourly open-top bus route linking Baslow, Calver, Grindleford, Longshaw, Hathersage, Hope and Castleton. The service will run on weekends, bank holidays and throughout specified holiday periods, offering visitors car-free access to Peak District scenery. Single journeys cost £2, while Derbyshire Wayfarer tickets provide day-long access to Derbyshire bus services.

A walker was found deeply unconscious near the summit of Win Hill in the Peak District after passers-by witnessed the person fall backward and strike their head on a rock. Edale Mountain Rescue Team attended, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency airlifted the casualty with a team doctor to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital.

The historic Ladybower Inn beside Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District reopened on April 7, 2023, after being closed for nearly a year. Initially serving drinks only, the pub planned to reopen its kitchen and en-suite accommodation within two weeks. Owner Batemans Brewery said it was delighted with the reopening, while seven refurbished bedrooms, including a honeymoon suite, were expected to become bookable soon.

The Red Lion at Peak Edge in Stone Edge has been named Derbyshire’s best pub at the 2023 National Pub & Bar Awards. Owned by Casa Hotels Group, the venue is shortlisted for Best Pub in the East Midlands and National Pub & Bar of the Year, with the winners due to be announced in London on June 28. Owner Steve Perez attributed the recognition to staff efforts, renovations and the venue’s use of locally sourced produce from Walton Lodge Farm Estate.

A guide highlights 22 restaurants in Derbyshire and the Peak District, selected using Google reviews and the AA Restaurant Guide 2023 rather than ranked against one another. The visible entries include the Cavendish Hotel in Baslow, Biggin Hall Hotel in Hartington and The Merchant's Yard in Tideswell, all receiving strong Google ratings and favorable AA assessments.

An inquest heard evidence from Dr Stratton, an obstetrics consultant at Sheffield’s Jessop Wing, about the care of Jess Hodgkinson, who died after giving birth in May 2021. Hodgkinson had Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome and had been prescribed Tinzaparin to reduce the risk of blood clots, but the prescription was discontinued during her transfer between Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Sheffield and was not resumed. Dr Stratton said the plan to continue the drug had not been clearly communicated and acknowledged that continued treatment would probably have reduced the risk of deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The family’s representative argued that failures in prescribing and information-sharing constituted a gross failure in care, while Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust disputed pulmonary embolism as the likely cause of death and argued that amniotic pulmonary embolism was more probable. The assistant coroner was expected to issue a conclusion the following week.

An inquest found that 25-year-old former Chesterfield footballer Marcus Beddoe died from methadone toxicity after suffering a cardiac arrest and unsurvivable hypoxic brain injury. Beddoe had no significant drug-use history or methadone prescription and was believed to have taken the drug either for its narcotic effect or to help with mental health problems, not to harm himself. In the months before his death, he experienced worsening anxiety, depression, isolation and gambling losses during lockdown. His parents raised concerns about his treatment, including the effects of sertraline and the reliance on telephone appointments, while clinicians said he had not expressed suicidal thoughts and that earlier community mental-health referral was unlikely to have changed the outcome. Local football clubs later paid tribute to him as a talented, kind and caring person.

Derbyshire Police issued further details about a series of related disturbances near Eckington on May 20, 2022. Alleged assaults at Sals Car Sales were followed by two cars travelling through the area, a suspected collision on Ashmore Avenue, and fights involving men from both vehicles near Eckington School. Four men were arrested; three were released on police bail and one remained in custody. Detectives are seeking witnesses and mobile phone, dashcam, or CCTV footage.

Farmers and residents in Moss Valley, on the Sheffield-Derbyshire border, say groups of off-road bikers are damaging crops, using footpaths and bridleways at high speed, and endangering walkers and horse riders. Steve Thompson of Moss Valley Meats says crop losses are particularly damaging amid rising fertiliser costs and warns that someone could be seriously injured or killed. Derbyshire Constabulary’s Rural Crime Team says it is working with South Yorkshire Police and local landowners, urging witnesses to report incidents so resources can be directed effectively.

Lucy Knowles, a 17-year-old from Chesterfield, died after the car she was travelling in collided with a tree off Harewood Road in Holymoorside. Her aunt, Karie Bell-Wriggs, described her as beautiful, funny, vibrant and kind-hearted and launched a fundraiser to help cover funeral costs and support Lucy’s grieving family. The family also said Lucy’s organs would be donated. An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drugs following the crash.

Derbyshire Police recovered the body of a man in his 60s from Tibshelf Pond near Sunny Bank in Tibshelf on April 2, 2022. His family has been informed, and officers do not believe the death involved suspicious circumstances. A file is being prepared for the coroner, while police are seeking information from anyone who was in the area on the evening of April 1 or early on April 2.

Drivers, cyclists and bikers have continued trying to access the Snake Pass despite closures caused by three landslips and a nearby moorland fire. Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit officers said the closure is being staffed around the clock. The A57 is expected to remain closed for at least another three weeks, while Derbyshire County Council says there is no firm reopening date because the ground is still moving and repairs will be complex.

Derbyshire Constabulary is seeking help identifying a man seen near a home in Killamarsh after a red Suzuki Jimny was stolen from Mansfield Road between the afternoon of February 9 and the following morning. Witnesses are asked to contact the force, with anonymous reports accepted through Crimestoppers.

Rafters restaurant co-director Alistair Myers said pranksters made 23 fake bookings covering 109 people for a busy Sunday lunch, using similar email addresses and nearly identical IP information. The bogus reservations could have cost the business between £4,000 and £5,000 in lost revenue. Rafters introduced a £10-per-person deposit, while an IT company investigates and may pass evidence to police.

A new Starbucks drive-through has been approved for a vacant former Tesco petrol-station site on Meltham Lane in Chesterfield, next to the A61 and opposite the Casa Hotel. The development, owned by Arnold Clark, will create 25 jobs and include a 2,100-square-foot outlet, parking for 20 vehicles, cycle storage, and an electric-vehicle charging point. Chesterfield Borough Council welcomed the project as a way to regenerate the site and support local economic growth.

Competitive eater and YouTube star Adam Moran, known as BeardMeatsFood, completed the Lounge Burger Challenge at Lounge Coffee Bar & Café in Eckington, Derbyshire, finishing a ten-patty burger, cheese, onion rings and loaded chips in 14 minutes—within the 15-minute limit. He received the meal free and even ate a scone afterward. Venue owner Mitchell Hinchliffe said staff were surprised by Moran’s visit and praised his friendly demeanor. Moran is described as the UK’s top competitive eater and 11th worldwide, and also competes in Major League Eating events in the United States.

Police stopped a Mercedes travelling at 95mph on the Dronfield Bypass in Chesterfield. The driver claimed the speed was necessary because they were making an “urgent tip run,” but officers issued a speeding ticket.

A 33-year-old man was arrested in Warsop on suspicion of murdering 86-year-old Freda Walker and attempting to murder her 88-year-old husband, Ken, at their home in Langwith Junction. Freda died and Ken remained in critical condition in hospital. Police described the arrest as a significant breakthrough but continued to appeal for witnesses who were on Station Road between the evening of January 14 and the morning of January 15. The attack has caused shock across the local community.