Write a piece about a typically “local” experience from where you come from as though it’s an entry in a travel guide.

Derby is celebrated for its real ale. It’s always had good pubs, but in the 1990s the independents got taken over and became a shadow of their former selves. This was mainly due to the number that became owned by bland pubcos and were tied to brewery contracts that meant they couldn’t buy any interesting beers, but now the tide has most definitely turned. There are a huge number of local microbreweries and you can generally find something interesting to drink whichever pub you end up in. A few years ago the Good Beer Guide from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) ran a special feature on the many good bars in the city and the National Winter Beer Festival recently decamped from Manchester to take place in the Derby Roundhouse.

My current favourites are:

– ‘The Greyhound’ ( http://greyhound-dbc.co.uk/ ) where you can enjoy a ‘rack’. This contains 5 thirds of a range of different beers along with a bowl of local mature cheddar.
– ‘The Flowerpot’ ( http://flowerpotderby.co.uk/ ) which has a huge range of beers on tap as well as a function room that hosts a gig most evenings.

Don’t get as many chances to go out sampling their wares as I used to though!