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The Red Lion, Main Street, Kniveton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1JH

Submitted by m on Thu, 09/02/2006 - 11:53.

Main Street, Kniveton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1JH

01335 345554

'Excellent food served in a warm friendly atmosphere'. Well, that's stretching things a bit. We were travelling back from Carsington Reservoir and were all peckish. J from the Beeb spotted a blackboard as we sped past. 'Did that say' 'FULL AGAIN'? he asked. He turned the car in a cow pat filled gateway and we drove back. 'FULL MENU,' said the board, but the typography left much to be desired. We were greeted in silence by the boss (Jay and Sue run this pub according to their card) and went and sat down in the restauranty bit. It's one of those places that was fitted out in about 1977 but wouldn't look out of place in a black-and-white film. Service was very slow even though there were only two active tables. I went for lots of beer, and beef in ale pie ('homemade with a shortcrust pastry lid') it said. The others had things like lager, and prawn cocktail in a roll, or pan fried chicken (how the hell else do you fry a chicken?). Portions - when they came - were HUGE! My pie wasn't bad and it was very hot but everything was just a bit, well, weird. The proprietor kept playing the same track from the CD, whistling it under his breath as he patiently folded paper napkins. Trouble was he decided to sit at the next table to do this - despite the whole restaurant (6 tables?) now being empty but for us. As we left (to silent looks) I picked up a leaflet in the vestibule. 'TESTICULAR SELF EXAMINATION CAN SAVE LIVES.', it said, 'BALLS TO CANCER'. It was an apt touchstone. BIT STRANGE AND UNSETTLING. PERRY STALSIS 2004

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