Designate At The Gate in Derbyshire Dales

Perfect spot for party with friends! The cocktail making was brilliant and unique and the food was brilliant. We had plenty of space and time to enjoy ourselves and the venue is well decorated and inviting. The accommodation was really welcoming and the fun bunkbeds were brilliant! It was clean and had excellent extra touches and the showers were great. Thanks again Andy and Kirsty!

Amazing wedding venue and great food, so helpful. Had a wonderful time. Thank you Andy & Kirsty for being excellent hosts.

I have just celebrated my 50 th birthday at Designate and can highly recommend. The communication with Kirsty was excellent from my first look around till the end of the party. The venue looked beautiful and all the guests have been messaging me today about how much they enjoyed the venue and food. The food was excellent ,a choice of 3 hot meals and some delicious cakes. Andy and Kirsty worked all night making sure the evening was perfect. If you are looking for a venue that is something different but still homely you won’t be disappointed with Designate. Some beauttiful touches around for lovely photos too

Funky, welcoming and hi-spec. Large room above Matlock with view towards Riber Castle. Ensuite, comfortable beds, kitchenette, pop-up table and stools if you need 'em. Easy parking, own access. Quick walk down the hill to the park and shops, bars, cafes. Plenty of thoughtful touches such as games, bean bags, extra blankets and curtains around the bunks. Much more than your average room in a hostel! Our room contained a double bed, triple bunks and a bunk above the ensuite. Plenty of space for 4 of us. Would definitely recommend!

What an amazing evening hosted by Andy & Kirsty. The venue is so unique and perfect for a private party. Our night comprised of cocktails and Prosecco on the beach. Then we watched the first half of sing along mamma Mia in the events room. Then had a cold buffet with a Greek theme to fit in with our film choice. The food was all homemade - delicious and all our dietary needs catered for as Kirsty provided a brilliant bespoke menu for us. We then watched the second half of the film - and then finished the night with karaoke. This party was excellent value for money - and drinks from the bar are very reasonable. Definitely recommend and will be back. Also a big thank you to Andy and Kirsty for being so attentive and making sure the night ran so smoothly.....

My son and now daughter in law had their wedding reception at Designate at the Gate. What a brilliant choice! Drinks on arrival followed by vintage tea and a choice of three hot dishes in the evening. Everything was well organised, food delicious and children catered for with the outside play area. Many thanks to Kirsty and Andy for completing a wonderful day.

We have only just found this place and what a gem it is! Great for families and really nice food and drink. We normally stay in our favorite place in Derbyshire, the fabulous ancient town of Wirksworth when we visit and we generally don't go far beyond it but Matlock in is only just down the road so all very convenient.

Just to say we had a brilliant evening with friends watching films at Designate Matlock. The food (one pots) were brilliant, the refreshments and hospitality were fantastic! Open fire, positive vibes and great for vegetarians! Thank you for a special evening!

Held a reunion party at Designate last night. We cannot praise Kirsty and Andy too highly. They provided a wonderfully warm relaxed environment for people some of whom had not seen each other since we left school 50 years ago. Absolutely nothing was too much trouble. The food was excellent and plentiful. The cakes were delicious. Prices incredibly reasonable. Not sure what else to say. Except don't think twice about booking Designate. You won't be disappointed. Thank you so much Kirsty and Andy for your invaluable contribution to making our evening such a success. Liz

Kirsty was a wonderful organiser in helping to ensure that my birthday party for 10 friends went smoothly We had the private use of a large welcoming room with a cosy log fire, and a large table beautifully laid out for us to socialise around We opted for a vegan tapas menu which was varied and every dish absolutely delicious. Everyone loved the food! The pudding was a healthy choice of fruit and a small treat was a slice of sugar free cake. Kirsty has clearly understood the brief and really done an incredible job with the food We then went on to the crafty section where we made hedgehog key rings. Everyone had fun. The setting, the atmosphere and the food was all perfect for my needs Thank you

Called in there Sunday lunchtime - very welcoming staff and great cosy place to spend a couple of hours - not a huge choice, but what we had was excellent and very healthy. Kids were very happy playing in the garden/beach out the back, or on the table football machines. Great experience and very recommended

Great food. Kids loved the hot cheese wraps and we had great chilli nachos and jacket spuds respectively. Refills on coffee, good beers and a warm roaring fire added to the enjoyment. Andy and Kirsty are very welcoming and with board games out and a homely feel it made for a perfect saturday treat. Only problem was choosing from the range of cakes at the brownie bar! Can't wait to go again.

A great place to visit friendly atmosphere food was hot and well cooked and a good range of local beers and ales will visit again without a doubt if in the area again

A lovely cosy evening, a private evening booking for the cafe. Large screen for the film, with a log fire, deep sofas at the front, with tables and chairs behind the sofas. we just had drinks, so can;t comment on the food. I'd happily return to one of the public events

Just had my baby shower at Designate & it was pure perfection! Gorgeous venue with thoughtful touches & kind, friendly, attentive staff throughout. The food & drinks were delicious, great quality & so much to go around. One of my guests is vegan & they added surprise vegan cakes for her! A*********

found this by chance and enjoyed a couple of pints of local ale. Also couldn't resist a slice of blueberry and lemon cake, delicious.Really friendly landlord. thanks

Excellent choice of 'meal in a pot' Excellent music for the evening Good atmosphere and Guiness Information given regarding up and coming film nights etc.

Needed a treat after a morning decorating. staff friendly and efficient. Had tea and fresh homemade 'pinwheel' scones with cream and jam - delicious. Well worth a visit. Beautiful stuff on display in the shop- will be calling in when I start Christmas shopping!

Visitamos aquí para el almuerzo del viernes con mi marido. Me encanta la extravagancia del lugar. El personal es amable y educado. Tuvimos una muy sabrosa sopa de calabaza y patata con una web de crema (tema de Halloween) y semillas calabaza y tostado. Mi marido tenía una envoltura de verduras y ensaladas. Seguimos con cafetera y bollo de té. La única queja scones encantadora fue que eran un poco demasiado cálido, especialmente ya que se sirve con nata y mermelada. Mi & chocolate banana bollo era delicioso. Bueno para ver una cafetería tratando de ser un poco diferente.

Lugar peculiar encantador con gente amable. Juguetes para los niños y un muy bonito jardín trasero con trampolín y fútbol de mesa. Es una pena que estaba decepcionado por la la comida que nos vino muy pequeñas ollas, los adultos no mucho (nada?) más grande que las porciones de los niños, y fue completamente sin sabor - la pasta y el eglefino ahumados eran platos tanto carece de sabor. Todavía estaba hambriento después del almuerzo y más que me decepcionó un poco.

Me gustó este café/bar/restaurante. Agradable sala de estar fuera y buena comida. El personal era muy agradable y amable y que nos han obligado con almuerzo a pesar de que acababa de terminar su servicio de almuerzo.

This is a traditional 'local' with real ales and good food. The owners have created a fascinating shabby chic interior packed with high quality handmade crafts. They and their staff always welcoming and friendly. I've had the hot food 'one pots' - which are quirky and tasty, they do a range of sweet or savoury scones - (not tried them all yet - but the cherry and almond are fab) - also soups and pancakes - sweet or savoury. The garden/beach is a real sun trap - lovely to sit out there for lunch.

Great environment if you want a quiet meal in a nice atmosphere. Went on a Tuesday night and it was very quiet, but could well image that it is busy on weekends when there are special evenings on.

A definite must try when your visiting the area...... or live here. Unusual interior with lots of quirky decorations. Some unusual art work on show and for sale. Different stuff happens in the evenings including real music. Good Guinness.

Guests of mine came here for New years Eve and had a ball - I see the children having fun in the garden all Summer - and they do a great "One Pot" meal.

You pay a little more for the quirky meals but saying that they are very nice. I had the smoked haddock hot pot which was served with a large piece of baggette. Plenty of choice of puddings.

Cosy quirky welcoming atmosphere with friendly staff. A nice place for an after work drink with a cup of nuts served in a vintage China tea cup.

What's not to like? small and intimate seating area, great shops with shelves full of interesting made and imported goods - with a definite craft bias - plus board games to play!A lovely idea I would like to see adopted by other outlets - as it provides multiple interests for visitors, has an arts bias and feels very community minded.The food choice was limited, but this is not a mass-market experience. And I loved the idea of 'one pot of the day'. The portion seemed small for the price, but other than getting their portion sizes right I think this business has it nailed. Perhaps they are more bar snacks than full meals - but very tasty and fresh.What a great find!

Finished off Christmas shopping with lunch at the Gate, turkey one pot and curried parsnip soup, absolutely perfect. Add in a log fire plus hot strong coffee and its job done.

Have visited for Saturday breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and evening drinks.A great venue for the whole family. Saturday pancakes for breakfast are delicious. In the summer these can be eaten outdoors so the kids can play in the huge sandpit.Lunch was fab, the potted meat is delicious and the caffetier of coffee fresh and hot.Cakes and scones are homemade and delicious.Evenings in the pub are ideal for couples and groups of friends.Would highly recommend for all ages, you can pop in for food and to buy amazing gifts made locally, easy Christmas shopping!

This place offers something completely different, cafe, shop, pub, entertainment venue, craft nights, music nights, the list is endless. The owners have truly revolutionalised the place and the concept of what a pub can offer. It's completely quirky and the scones and cakes are bliss at lunchtime when popping in for a coffee and a natter. Happy to recommend but also want to say well done for breathing new life into what was a grim place, it's unrecognisable and a real local asset!

This is a lovely venue which caters for families with all sorts of creative and fun events on offer, but which also has a cosy atmposphere as an evening destination for adults/couples. They have live music some nights which I enjoyed. There is also a gift shop selling clocks and furniture made by the owners and other gifts and textiles also locally made.

This place has been transformed from what it used to be like, a complete polar opposite! Great atmosphere and decor. Saw some live music there last night, played a good mix of tunes... just a really nice place. Would recommend to anyone but especially families with there being an awesome sand pit outside with diggers and toys in it for when the suns out!

The Pub title doesn't do the Gate justice. It's so much more than that. The owners have created a brilliantly different, quirky, homely place. Great for a nice pint and a read of the paper, but also a fantastic venue to take the kids for food, entertainment and drinks. I just wish we had somewhere like this when our kids were growing up. The decor is a wonderful shabby chic, vintage, distressed style. You feel instantly at home. The owners are welcoming and always happy to chat. There's bags of stuff for kids to get involved in, games, chalk boards, you name it, and in the evenings and weekends the Gate offers plenty of clubs to keep kids occupied and interested. Plus on Saturdays it's Pancake Day! Much much better than a Happy Meal!The Gate offers even more! Part of the bar area is given over to a craft, vintage and local arts shop. Bought my wife a great music inspired bag fob. Plus it's a great emergancy card shop should you ever forget. No more garage based cards anymore plus you can treat yourself to a pint of Doombar whilst you shop. And when the Doombar gets those taste buds going, the tempting Potted Meat midnight feats are so much better than a packet of crisps! And if you're lucky you can catch a local band playing. What more can you ask for in a local?

A lovely cafe with play area for young children. Laid back style, really friendly staff and reasonable prices. Plus, the cake is good too :-)

Lovely quirky, friendly gem in Matlock. Excellent, interesting home cooked food. Nothing to dislike about it!

Attended a family event at this pub and what a lovely experience it was. This is about as different as it gets because it's much more than a pub. They sell cakes, coffee, food, artwork and gifts along with the beer. It's decorated in a sort of shabby chic style; it has a superb play area for children and a delightful little covered terrace area.The food was simple but perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. But probably best of all is the quiet efficiency of the owners who are clearly passionate about what they do, and proud of their achievements - and rightly so.

Designate at the gate in Matlock has come up with a novel concept, good beer, food and conversation, no television screen showing football, no bouncer or doormen and a friendly welcome from the owners. Only does one real ale and its a good one, live music and a variety of off the wall promotions makes it a great place to unwind after a hard day at the grindstone.

Have visited Designate a few times and have always found the food to be hot and tasty - recently had a corned beef hash which was delicious. Staff are friendly and there is good buzz about the place. I have knocked a point off though as I find the shabby chic a bit too shabby - the mismatched cups and saucers are a nice touch, but my cup was chipped and cracked which is a 'no no' for me. Also didn't like the dirty boot/floral arrangement on the outside table. Yes its characterful, different and offers good food, but keep an eye on the level of shabby chic as it can be a bit off putting to certain customers!

saturday morning pancakes and a browse round the shop.. Lovely products on sale and the pancakes were tasty and filling.. Worth a visit and a return.

We visited on Saturday afternoon for the first time and will definitely be returning! What a delightful,welcoming and unique place to spend a couple of hours away from the hustle and bustle of Matlock on a 'beach'. Drinks, snacks and lots to do this place is a little treasure and the gift shop has some delightful ideas if you're stuck for a present.

Beautiful shop selling lovely gifts including textiles, cute cards and quirky vintage pieces! It is so inspiring and great to take kids as has a vintage feel cafe with afternoon tea, beautiful cakes with a pot of tea or coffee with quirky tea cosies!! They hold a Lego Club Saturday 1:30-3:00pm, great for kids and just has a lovely warm feel to the place! Definitely worth a visit.

Love the idea of browsing to shop while waiting for ur lunch,lots of lovely quirky goods and some beautiful clocks to buy,the food was satisfying and the staff pleasant.

Today I visited designate on Smedley Street with my two young boys. They had toys and books to play with whilst the food arrived.I had a choice of options with no gluten - which is always a huge bonus in small cafes/restaurants. The boys had a delicious cottage pie with garlic bread which they loved. Serviced in lovely pots with lids, which pleased the boys in particular. I had an amazing chilli, with gluten free nachos and GF bread. I gluten free scone was a real treat and not often on the menu in other cafes, a welcomed change!!!Great service and a friendly welcome.

How fantastic to see someone trying something a little different. Very welcoming great food and very interesting . See you again soon.

Lovely friendly cafe/pub/shopLots on offer hot and cold alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Interesting and imaginative food. Fantastic hosts Well worth the walk up the hill - try any time but evenings are full, of interest free films Tues and often live bands FriThere is also a fantastic craft shop with locally made goodsSmedley street is well worth a visit

What an amazing place, artist heaven! Unique handmade style throughout, lovely cakes and bakes. I loved the personal touch of the funky tea cosies to go along with the vintage tea cups. The one pots are to die for yumm! Wish you all the look for 2014 let it be a busy one

It's worth a walk up the steepest street in Matlock to discover this friendly little arts venue, craft shop and car bar. We enjoy popping in for fresh pancakes on a Saturday morning and a cafetiere of Winter Velvet coffee. The coffee pot comes in a little knitted cozy and there are papers and magazines to read. It was once a pub but now holds craft and music events. A cosy little place where you are made welcome.

After seeing the Designate advertised in a local magazine we decided to give it a try as we like to try new local places to eat and like places that are unusual or a bit quirky. We went at lunchtime and enjoyed a most pleasant meal,welcoming staff and cosy surroundings. Opposite was a very nice accessory shop which is also worth looking at. We are planning to return to experience the music nights soon. Another addition to our portfolio of places to drop in for lunch or a coffee.

We had a wonderfully relaxed evening tonight at designate. A group of nine: 4 adults and 5 children aged 10-17. Choice is very limited but the food is simple and very tasty with a themed "one pot" each night. Tonight we had chile con carne with nachos and a chicken and broccoli creamy casserole. Designate is licensed so the adults could indulge. We finished off by finishing off their supply of cakes while completing the quiz (Thursday is quiz night) including the 3D challenge. Very informal and relaxed and our Swiss guests loved it!

got drawn in by an act singing, wandered in to find an eclectic mix of decor, really friendly staff, wonderful guest ale on tap, really friendly locals wiiling to share the secrets of the local countryside.

This is my local café, helpfully located just across the road from work which is marvellous (but too tempting to drop in for a cream tea or a brownie!)It's an eclectic little place complete with blue denim chairs, chalk boards and plenty of tasty cakes to ruin your diet for you!It's also licensed so you can have a glass of wine or a beer to!They host a range of events such as film nights and live music, so it's a multi purpose venue.There's also a shop full of adorable craft kits, clocks, aprons and other knick knack wonders. Drop in if you're up the top end of Matlock - the only downside is it's quite far up Bank Road (on Smedley Street) so it's a steep climb if you are coming from town.