This hotel and restaurant is run by people who are not as others are - something that makes them interesting and unusual, some might say mildly eccentric, but so what, there should be more of the same. Let's get away from this 'sameness' that grips our country.

The Buckingham is nice and handy for the Buxton Opera House so a pre-theatre supper is served at 6.15, with the main event at 8.00. The menu is straightforward with starters of, say, Greek salad with feta cheese and olive oil dressing, or deep fried gougons of plaice with tartare sauce.

Main courses could offer roast sirloin, breast of chicken wrapped in bacon with Madeira sauce. Desserts follow the same pattern.

The range of beers, ciders, brews from abroad, including the famed Festival Doktor, is impressive and the wine list is perfectly adequate.