Pub of the Month August 2015
Hidden away off West Street, the Red Deer on Pitt Street is approached via Mappin Street and is one of the gems of the City Centre real ale scene. Dating from the 1870’s, the pub originally comprised three small rooms with a central bar area. This was opened out in the 1980’s and the bar repositioned to provide the present format of an L-shaped lounge. The “gallery”, a raised area at the rear, was added in 1993 and this leads on to a beer garden. Formerly a Tetley pub, for many years in the early days of Sheffield CAMRA, the Red Deer was the regular meeting place for the branch, it being one of the few Sheffield pubs to retain handpumps.
Jake Nickles took over the pub in August 2010, having previously worked in pubs and bars in London and the Midlands. By focusing on good customer service and increasing the choice of real ales he quickly re-established the pubs reputation as a quality showcase for cask beer. The bar displays an impressive range of handpumps, serving up to nine beers, currently always including Kelham Island Easy Rider, Moorhouse’s Pride of Pendle and Stancill No. 7 together with regularly changing guest beers including several from local independent breweries. A good selection of malt whiskies is also available.
The pub opens 12.00 to 12.00 Monday to Thursday, 12.00 p.m. to 1.00 a.m. Friday/Saturday and 12.00 to 11.00 p.m. Sundays. Quality “pub grub” is available 12-3 and 5-9 p.m. weekdays and 12 to 9.00 p.m. Saturday/Sunday. Tuesday evenings there is a fairly challenging pub quiz, and regular live music Saturday nights and alternate Sundays Also on Sundays there’s a popular movie night held in the upstairs function room, alternating between sci-fi and arts films. The well-deserved Pub of the Month award will be presented on the evening of Tuesday 11 August 2015, when all are welcome to join us. An incentive for CAMRA members is a 5% discount on real ales, on production of a current membership card.
Wils Gee