Do you have a lifelong pub? Here's mine... the Harrington at Thulston, Derbyshire

The view from my favourite seat at the Harrington, where you can see most everything going on.

If we ‘re lucky, us pub-going folk, we’ll all have at least one pub that’s been a feature for all of our days since being old enough to drink. It will have endured and evolved but, ideally, it will still have the same qualities that drew us to it in the first place.

It will equally be true that some pubs which might have qualified as lifelong favourites will have closed – for me, the Derby Inn in Burton, especially – or changed beyond recognition, such as the first pub I ever called a local, the Bull’s Head at Breaston, now a much-revised Marston’s food place. Then there are other great pubs which came into our lives further along the journey: included in mine would be the Malt at Aston on Trent, the Chequers at Ticknall and the Smithfield in Derby.

But if I come back to one that features throughout my life, it’s the Harrington Arms at Thulston. I was brought up in Borrowash and, during the only time I was unemployed after leaving school, for six months, I would stroll down to Elvaston Castle with a five iron and whack a golf ball around the big field on quiet weekdays. Then I would walk over to the Harrington, then run by Kath and John Ford. These were different times. Samuel Smith’s sold to the free trade then and the Harrington had their Old Brewery Bitter on handpump. It was splendid and the rep (Ian I think his name was), would often stop by and tell stories.

The pub is now selling a hazy pale in its own name from Thornbridge.

I sat, usually, in the curved bench seat by the fire and soaked up stories told by two old regulars named Bert and Alf (yes, really). It’s 46 years ago but I can see them now, Alf a dapper gentleman, Bert more the rugged country type. I was in awe of them and really appreciated them accepting me. If Last of the Summer Wine had been set in Derbyshire, Alf and Bert could have been both sympathetic and funny characters. When I found a job, I had a midweek day off, so the walks down to the Harrington continued.

Years passed. For 20 years from 2002, Richard and Sharron Scarff, from Thulston village, ran the pub. Richard was adventurous with beer choices, Sharron simply brilliant with food. Nothing much had changed, although Sam Smith’s was gone. The Harrington played a large part in my family life. In no particular order, my parents’ 50^th anniversary, mine and Pamela’s 25^th anniversary, my 50^th birthday, my mum’s wake were all celebrated there. For my 50^th, Richard sorted me out some goodies from Derbyshire brewery Peak Ales, including a fine large umbrella. Richard, if you should be reading this, it’s still going strong 16 years later and thank you again.

In 2022, Richard and Sharron chose not to renew their lease. It was seismic, in that the pub had a brilliant reputation, especially for food. The pub remains independent, which is crucial for its viability. As far as I know, the owner still lives in Australia.

When a relatively youthful new landlord, Rob Taylor, a chef, replaced Richard and Sharron, you could sense the regulars, me included, wondering if he could possibly cut it. A big country pub, at a difficult time for the trade, and big shoes to fill. But Rob’s mum, as it happens, helped build one of the area’s most successful pub groups, so he wouldn’t have been short of advice.

Rob Taylor, now three years in as licensee at the Harrington Arms.

Three years on, thing are going well. I was in on Wednesday lunch and it was busy. I was in on Friday night and it was rammed. I was in early evening with my daughter Sharon and her dog a couple of weeks ago and sat in my favourite spot from all those years ago. From there, you can just watch the pub working and it warmed my heart. Staff who know their roles performing them with a smile, barely stopping, although they did to say hello to the dog. A lovely buzz of conversation, meals being delivered.

Food is a big deal for the Harrington, still. It’s not the same as Sharron’s and I guess it’s at the pricier end in terms of local pubs – but it’s inventive and superb. The Sunday lunches are huge, way more than you might expect for the price. But, also, Rob has never forgotten the beer and I’d say the choice is better than I’ve ever known it. Draught Bass, Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Thornbridge Jaipur are regulars on the handpumps, along with a changing guest, and the keg pumps now feature a Harrington hazy session IPA from Thornbridge.

Rob has tweaked the Harrington, especially the décor. It’s an ongoing project, he’s not standing still, he knows you can’t. He’s added a tipi in the garden (a teepee to us oldies). It allows up to 50 people to sit in shelter in bad weather, which is a smart idea.

The best compliment I can pay him – and I told him the other day – is that for all the changes, the Harrington still feels like the local I came to love not too far short of 50 years ago. That is a tough one to pull off and it doesn’t happen very often. I know that pleased him – it was his target, to maintain a traditional village pub feel while bringing it up to date in certain areas. He’s done it, but I know he won’t sit on his laurels. More power to his elbow.

*Many of those people who loved Sharron Scarff’s food will know that it remains available at the delicatessen she has opened in the centre of Borrowash. If you didn’t know, you do now.