Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Join Us

Dew Drop Inn, Ilkeston


Directions

You want to visit - You have this in
Operator: Independent
24 Station Street, Ilkeston, DE7 5TE (View on Google Map)
No website available

Built in 1884, this popular local is a traditional corner house pub situated on the outskirts of the town and close to Ilkeston railway station. Formerly a hotel, Sir Barnes Wallis stayed here on a visit to the area during WWII. It appears in CAMRA's national inventory of historic pub interiors, and is featured in the book "Real Heritage Pubs of the Midlands" (published 2015). There are three rooms, with the bar and lounge separated by the serving area, and there is a separate room which can be booked for meetings. A good selection of real ales is available at the bar, predominantly from local and regional breweries. Bar snacks including rolls and pork pies are available. Winner of numerous local CAMRA Pub of the Year awards and regularly appears in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

Information for this venue is provided by the Erewash Valley Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Erewash District (B)
Last updated
15/03/2025
Last surveyed
02/03/2024
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
individual
Pub ID
ERE/12793
Asset of Community Value

Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance

Listed status: Not listed

Built in 1884 and formerly the Middleton Hotel, the Dew Drop's current layout dates from a 1950s refit and the interior is mostly highly redolent of the period.

In the public bar, the light-oak counter is very much a product of its time as are the two-part mirrored bar back and leatherette fixed seating with baffle by the door. The large quarry-tiled lobby has a servery with a sliding hatch (still operational but locked in the open position) and windows either side plus a 1950s counter front. Another 1950s counter and bar back can be found in the lounge, along with fixed and free-standing furniture from the period, but the fireplace is modern. Off the lobby is a separate snug-lounge with bench seating around, but nothing else of heritage interest. The lobby displays a memorial to Sir Barnes Wallis - inventor of the bouncing bomb used in the 'Dambusters' raid and who slept here during the last war.

General information about historic pub interiors

Built in 1884 on Lord Middleton's estate and just two minutes walk from the new Ilkeston Railway Station which opened in April 2017. Formerly the Middleton Hotel, the original inn sign still sits in the garden. It was always known by locals as the Dew Drop and the name was changed in 1991. It has an unaltered layout of a central drinkers' lobby with three rooms off, and most of the interior features date from a remodelling in the 1950s.

To the left of the entrance is the corner public bar. This was originally accessed from its own external door on the corner of the building prior to the 1950s. In this room, the 1950s features are a counter of light oak (or ash), mirrored bar-back with original shelving to the floor, and leatherette fixed seating with a baffle near the door. The bench seating around the outer walls may pre-date the 1950s work. The bar-back has an opening between this and the rear room, each side having a small till drawer attached to the shelves.

The large lobby with 1950s quarry tiled floor and open staircase has a servery consisting of a sliding hatch, which still works but is locked into an open position, with windows either side and another 1950s bar front with wooden top.

The rear lounge has a similar 1950s counter and bar-back shelving, plus bench seating all round. The free-standing tables and stools are almost certainly survivors from the 1950s modernisation. A modern brick fireplace and projecting wood-burning stove has been introduced into the lounge, replacing a modern reproduction fireplace.

The third room off the lobby is a separate snug-lounge. This has fixed seating of 1950s vintage in four bays but with plush modern upholstery, a modern reclaimed brick fireplace, and modern fake half-timbering on Artex walls. The two upper window panels have the outline of old cemented-on white lettering "STRETTON'S DERBY ALES".

The off sales was situated between the lounge and public bars which is now a kitchen, but the exterior door remains. The Gents' toilets are unmodernised but very plain. Finally, note the brass plaque in the lobby which states "Sir Barnes Neville Wallis 1897-1979 slept here during WWII". Outside skittles in the yard.
 

General information about historic pub interiors
Premium Access Required

You must be a Digital Subscriber or CAMRA Member to be able to view specially curated GBG descriptions

Premium Access Required
Opening Times Unavailable

Current beers

This Pub serves 5 changing beers and 2 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen
Thornbridge - Jaipur
Thornbridge - Jaipur

New World IPA

ABV: 5.9%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

This beer is served regularly. Spotted 4 times

Full Mash - Warlord
Full Mash - Warlord

Premium Bitter

ABV: 4.4%
Vegan: No
Gluten Free: No

This beer is served regularly. Spotted 4 times

Changing

Changing beers typically include: Castle Rock , Dancing Duck , Ossett

Source: National


Your scores

Join CAMRA to access beer scoring and view scores for other pubs. Become a member.
Retrieving scores
You have no beer scores submitted.

Facilities
Garden Garden
Occasional live music outside.
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Events Events
Quiz nights on Tuesdays.
Function Room Function Room
Can be booked for meetings.
Games Games
Long alley skittles, pool.
Real Fire Real Fire
Separate Bar Separate Bar
Smoking Smoking
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Cider Real Cider
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
LocAle LocAle
Quiet Quiet
Transport
Close to bus routes (200m)
Trent Barton: 27
Only until early evening.
Nearby Station (250m)
Ilkeston

Help keep our information accurate!

Notice an error or missing details? Help us keep our pub & club information accurate by sharing any corrections or updates you spot.

Suggest an edit

Nearby

View All
Published on 16-05-2021
Closed • Opens at 6:00pm
Durham Ox
Independent Pub, in Ilkeston
2 Changing Beers
0.5 miles from you
Published on 16-05-2021
Closed • Opens at 4:00pm
Little Acorn
Pub, in Ilkeston
REAL ALE not available
0.5 miles from you
Frontage of pub.. (Key). Published on 11-02-2024
Closed • Opens at 12:00pm
Stanton Cask
Independent Pub, in Ilkeston
4 Changing Beers
0.6 miles from you
Open
Mad Dog
Pub, in Ilkeston
REAL ALE not available
0.6 miles from you
(Key). Published on 20-04-2017
Closed • Opens at 4:00pm
Borough Arms
Pub, in Ilkeston
Beer
0.7 miles from you
Published on 16-05-2021
Closed • Opens at 11:00am
Spring Cottage
Pub, in Ilkeston
REAL ALE not available
0.7 miles from you
Published on 16-05-2021
Open
Observatory
Wetherspoon Pub, in Ilkeston
3 Regular, 4 Changing Beers
0.7 miles from you
  • CAMRA discount scheme
  • CAMRA voucher scheme
Published on 12-06-2017
Closed • Opens at 4:00pm
Harrow
Pub, in Ilkeston
Beer
0.7 miles from you
Published on 16-05-2021
Open
Market Inn
Pub, in Ilkeston
Beer
0.7 miles from you
Published on 16-05-2021
Closed • Opens in 36 minutes
Kings Head
Craft Union Pub Co (Stonegate) Pub, in Ilkeston
2 Changing Beers
0.7 miles from you

Need accommodation?

 

 


Recently Viewed

Published on 20-10-2024
Closed • Opens at 11:30am
Robin Hood
Pub, in Tring
4 Regular, 1 Changing Beers
Photo taken 3 July 2020, exterior.. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 03-07-2020
Closed • Opens in 36 minutes
Orpington GPO
Independent Pub, in Orpington
REAL ALE not available
Bramley Arms
Pub, in North Kensington
Permanently Closed
(External). Published on 07-09-2015
Closed • Opens at 12:00pm
Bear Inn
Pub, in Street
1 Changing Beer
Stickle Barn. (Pub, Garden, Key). Published on 07-03-2019
Closed • Opens in 36 minutes
Lanty Slee's (Langdale)
Lanty Slee Liquor Co Pub, in Great Langdale
3 Changing Beers
(External). Published on 31-10-2023
Open
Chancers Bar
Pub, in Evesham
REAL ALE not available
Sullivans Wine Bar - Weybridge. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 19-09-2013
Closed • Opens at 12:00pm
No 39
Independent Pub, in Weybridge
REAL ALE not available
Woburn Arms
Pub, in Addlestone Moor
Permanently Closed
© Campaign for Real Ale 2023 - 2025 (ce-10)
Home