Author: Andy Cullen

Andy has been actively involved in CAMRA since the early 2000s after being recruited to sit on a National Younger Members Task Group. Since then he has held roles on the branch committee including Secretary, Membership Secretary, Magazine Editor, Chair and now Social Secretary. Andy has also been involved with the Steel City Beer & Cider Festival almost every year since becoming active in the branch.

Pub of the Month February 2020

Posted on by Andy Cullen
JD Wetherspoon has come a long way since founder, Tim Martin, opened his first pub in Muswell Hill, London in 1979. More than 40 years later the estate boasts over 900 pubs spread the length and breadth of the UK. Success has been built on the provision of great value food and drink in a warm and friendly environment. From a real ale perspective this success is evidenced by the 250 pubs chosen by local branches for inclusion in the 2020 edition of the CAMRA GOOD BEER GUIDE. Sheffield got its first Wetherspoon pub in 1996 when the Bankers Draft opened at 1, Market Place on the site of the old Midland Bank building. This wasn’t a surprising location as the company is well-known for renovating and refurbishing old, and in many cases, historic buildings. The Banker’s soon became a popular place for friends to meet up in town. However, I believe that the pub has actually improved greatly in the last few years, especially since Jonathan Atkinson took charge. Jonathan and his partner, Terrianne McHale have been with the company for 15 years, the last 8 years at the Banker’s Draft. They are keen supporters of CAMRA. Local branch and nation and publications are prominently displayed in the pub. The venue has hosted branch meetings and has been a regular sponsor of the Sheffield Beer Festival. Regular real ales on the bar are Abbot Ale, Ruddles Bitter and Doom Bar. Additionally there are about 7 or 8 guest ales available at any time. These are dispensed from the 14 banks of hand pumps on the 2 floors. They always try to offer a range of styles, ABVs and a mix of local and national brews. There tends to be a regular seasonal ale. Favourite local breweries are Little Critters, Bradfield, Kelham Island, Milestone and Acorn. With the addition of Alex Crowe to the team the Banker’s is one of the few venues stocking Welbeck ales. In any case the pub is a go to venue for any new breweries in Sheffield. I know that Jonathan is very keen to increase the volume of real ale sold. To this end he has extended the normal company offer to CAMRA members by allowing an unlimited discount to card-carrying members. CAMRA is also an organisation that supports real cider. It is therefore very pleasing to find that apart from the Black Dragon on regular offer there are 5 guest still boxed ciders on at any time. These may include Broadoak Moonshine, Snails Bank Rhubarb and Monkey Mango. Given the overall success of JD Wetherspoon it is perhaps surprising that of their 9 pubs in Sheffield, opened at regular intervals since 1996, only one has ever been voted “Pub of the Month.” I am therefore delighted that the branch has chosen the Banker’s Draft as the winner of this prestigious award for February 2020. I know that Jonathan is too, and he hopes that as many branch members as possible come along on Tuesday, 11th February to join him and his team celebrate this success. Andrew Thorpe

Steel City Brewing

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Steel City’s collab with Freigeist ‘Mein Herz Brennt’ is doing the rounds now after a launch in cask form at the Shakespeare winter fest. Sweet malt balances sharp acidity and fruity hops in this resurrection of the extinct Berliner Braunbier style. Also currently in the wild is the Reise Reise variant with the addition of redcurrant and cranberry, while Blitzkriek has been tucked away in a red wine barrel with cherry and redcurrant. The first brew of 2020 was on the minikit. Following the surprise totally expected success of the barbecue stout Lucienne off of the Shakespeare was invited back along with McGregor off of the Facebooks to brew a Hoi Sin Stout. Too Drunk to Duck has a similar profile to the BBQ, but this time the adjuncts are plum, five spice, cardamom, chilli, and muscovado sugar. The second brew is an exciting development but patience is needed – London Beer Factory are bringing their mobile coolship giving SCB and Lost Industry an introduction to the world of spontaneous fermentation. Two brews will be done, the first is in three wine barrels in Sheffield and the second is going back to That London to ferment in wine barrels there. The brew is part of a series by LBF where they brew a broadly similar recipe at various breweries and take the coolship out to pick up local wild yeasts. Steel City will be keeping the barrels for at least a year, and are looking at the possibility of repeating the process in 2021 and 2022, with the eventual aim being to blend the 1, 2, and 3 year old beers to make a ‘Yorkshire Ersatz-Lambiek’.

Triple Point Brewery

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Triple Point have brewed their first anniversary special celebration beer. Aptly enough, it’s a Tripel, and if well received could be the first of many. This one will be ‘New World’ rather than Belgian in that they are using wonderfully aromatic Galaxy, Wakatu & Wai-iti hops to deliver passion fruit, peach, lime & vanilla notes. Head Brewer Alex Barlow promises that there are other tricks in store too, including some being put into Sauvignon Blanc barrels.

CAMRA’s National Members’ Weekend, AGM and Conference

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This years event takes place from 3rd to 5th April in York at the University of York West Campus, in Central Hall. There are several strands to the event – the legally required AGM, the conference where members debate campaigning policy, workshops to share experience running branches and the social side with a members’ bar, brewery trips and pub crawls. All CAMRA members are entitled to attend and can register online at camra.org.uk. This year at the AGM there are four Special Resolutions that have been put forward by the National Executive for a vote, these are to approve changes to the organisation’s Articles of Association to strengthen the governance of the Campaign, following a review last year. There is also a National Executive election. More information can be found in Whats Brewing newspaper or online. If you are a member that cannot attend the AGM, you can register to vote for or against the special resolutions online. In York, the event starts Friday evening with the members bar opening, this is basically a mini beer festival featuring session beers from local breweries and is open exclusively to members who are registered to attend the AGM & Conference. This is a great place to meet up with other members for a relaxed pint after conference or before going into York to visit the local pubs and bars. There are also coach trips out to breweries on the Friday and Saturday nights, these need to be booked in advance online. The AGM happens Saturday morning, which is then followed by the conference for the rest of Saturday daytime and Sunday morning. The fringe events, including workshops, take place Saturday late afternoon after close of conference. The University of York is out of town, however a very good bus service shuttles from York City Centre to the campus and York is easy to reach by train from Sheffield. Looking ahead to next year now, the 2021 event is being hosted by us in Sheffield at the City Hall and once the York event is over, we will be getting busy with our organising and will be putting a call out for volunteers to help!

Inn Brief

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A new micropub has opened in Woodhouse Mill, at the bottom of Furnace Lane. The Oxbow offers a range of beers on both cask and keg. The former Rising Sun near Bamford, in the Hope Valley, which has sat closed and derelict for a few years now, has had the go ahead from Peak Park Planning Board to be redeveloped with a new hotel on the site. It is to be run by an independent operator aimed at visitors to the Peak District. The Bankers Draft (JD Wetherspoons) at Castle Square in the City Centre is hosting a Little Critters meet the brewer event on Tuesday 11th February at 7pm. The Cavendish on West Street, Sheffield, reopens following refurbishment on Saturday 25th January. A new restaurant specialising in vegetarian and vegan dishes has opened in Kelham Island in an old works on Cornish Street. Named V or V, the bar also has real ale and other craft beers for diners to enjoy – all unfined and vegan of course! The Dorothy Pax at Victoria Quay has had a bar refit and now boasts an increased number of beer lines! The Fulwood Ale Club, a micropub by the same people as the Ecclesall Ale Club, is now open on Brooklands Avenue. Sheffield Brewery Company‘s tap room is now opening to the public most weekends to serve their beer to drink in the brewery! Check their social media for opening hours. Also one that has opened since we published our guide to the Kelham Island area is Saw Grinders Union in Globe Works at Shalesmoor. This smart bar has 2 cask ales and a variety of other craft beers available along with cocktails and food. On Abbeydale Road, the Two Thirds Beer Company is now open. This bar in the unit previously occupied by Steel City Cakes, near the Broadfield, boasts 16 beer lines with a mix of cask beers on handpump and other craft beers on keg taps. On 30th January Shakespeare’s are serving a range of American Sours, the Joiners Arms in Bakewell are hosting a Thornbridge tap takeover & meet the brewer and the Kelham Island Tavern is hosting a ticket only Tryanuary tutored beer tasting. The Devonshire Cat are hosting a charity fundraising dinner for Cavendish Cancer Care on 6th February. In return for a generous donation you will enjoy a 3 course dinner and a gin & tonic. Of course it being the bar it is there will also be an excellent choice of ales on the bar to buy too! Advance table bookings are required for this event. The Jolly Farmer at Dronfield Woodhouse sees managers Karl and Ash celebrating 15 years at the helm this month and they will be celebrating at the pub on 8th February from 7:30pm. Expect live entertainment, food and beer to feature! Tiny Rebel have brewed a range of special beers to celebrate their 8th birthday and these will be available as part of a tap takeover at the Chesterfield Alehouse micropub on 13th February. A recent opening is the Parrot Club at Neepsend, owned by the same people as O’Hara’s Spiced Rum. There isn’t any cask beer, however a range of 3 craft beers from Triple Point is available on keg taps. Opening late January is Matilda Bar, an underground speakeasy style joint under the Sidney Warehouse gallery space. Access is via a door on the corner of Sidney Street and Matilda Street. A membership scheme will operate however anyone can sign in at the door. This is in addition to the existing bar in the gallery. Local craft beers will be available on keg tap. Just to add some confusion however, there is also rumour of the old Matilda Tavern pub that has sat boarded up for quite a few years reopening very soon! Toolmakers Brewery (on Botsford Street, which is behind their Forest pub on Rutland Road, just up the hill from Cutlery Works and the Gardeners Rest in Neepsend) continue to host music events at weekends in their tap room. The first Saturday of the month its Trojan Explosion from 8pm to 1am featuring Ska, Rocksteady and early Reggae music played on vinyl whilst most Sunday evenings sees live music. Check their Facebook page for details. The Royal Standard has closed, ei group are advertising the lease so it should reopen as soon as someone new takes the pub on.

Brewery Bits

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The former Hopjacker Brewery based underneath the Dronfield Arms pub has been taken on by a new business and is being launched as the Gravity Brew Co. At the time of writing a launch date was yet to be announced. Drone Valley Brewery are back up and running following flood damage back in November, the seasonal special released before Christmas that managed to escape the devastation was named Flood Red Ale to reflect the determination of the people involved with this community enterprise based in Unstone, Dronfield, to recover and keep things going. The brewery is now back to hosting tap sessions every Saturday afternoon with cask beer available to enjoy on site and bottles on sale to take home. Buses 43 and 44 from Sheffield stop at the end of the drive. A beer for the new year from Bradfield Brewery is Farmers 2020, a light 3.5% ABV beer that is medium hopped with a sharp aftertaste. If anyone fancies a ride on the Hope Valley train to New Mills this summer, Torrside brewing have announced their monthly brewery tap dates for 2020. These are 10th/11th April, 23rd/24th May, 27th/28th June, 25th/26th July, 29th/30th August and 26th/27th September. On these weekends they will be open 12-8pm with 16 beers on draught, dogs & families welcome. Thornbridge Brewery are ready to commence their monthly taproom sessions at Bakewell Riverside too. These take place towards the end of the month, the Saturday socials kick off for 2020 on 29th February with the tap room open 10am to 8pm and a street food trader open from midday. They also open the previous Wednesday in the evening for a Beer & Pizza night from 5pm to 9pm. TM Travel bus 218 provides a regular link from Sheffield to Bakewell. Summer Wine Brewery has ceased trading.

Acorn Brewery

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A couple of limited edition brews from Acorn have hit the pubs this new year. King Creole is a 4.2% ABV  pale golden coloured bitter brewed to celebrate music albums of the 50’s. USA Cascade and Crystal hops impart a floral, citrus grapefruit aroma. UK Goldings add a nice crisp bitterness. Krpan IPA (5% ABV) is the latest in a range of single-hopped IPAs. Slovenian Krpan hops have a light grapefruit aroma.

Chantry Brewery trip

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A group from Sheffield CAMRA jumped on the tram train to Parkgate to visit Chantry Brewery on Friday 10th January. We were also joined there by some of our beery friends from Rotherham and Barnsley. As well as having a bit of a nosy and seeing their 20BBL brew kit and 4 fermenting vessels used by head brewer Mick Warburton, we were able to test drive the still under construction tap room upstairs, which they expect to have completed around Easter time with the intention of having monthly brewery tap events through the summer with a full bar open to the public. Things have been expanding there since the brewery first opened in 2012! Thanks to team Chantry for the hospitality, we enjoyed three excellent cask beers on the evening – Hop Thief, Hoppy Road and Rebel Chocolate Stout. Following the brewery visit, we had a walk the short distance up to the Little Haven micro bar where a choice of three more Chantry beers were available along with a great welcome! Our festival organiser Paul also attempted to demonstrate his guitar playing ability but thankfully that moment was short lived… The final call of the day saw us get off the Sheffield bound tram at Rotherham Central station and walk up to the Three Cranes Inn on Rotherham High Street with a choice of 4 cask ales on the bar and a range of flavoured ciders. Unfortunately time ran away and we didn’t have time to visit the two Chantry pubs in Rotherham town centre – the Cutlers Arms and New York Tavern, however they are easy enough to get back to and Chantry also now have a Sheffield pub in Handsworth. The tram train dropped us back at Sheffield Cathedral and some of us found that very convenient to drop in the Church House to catch the end of the live band’s set there!

The Plough, Sandygate

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As previously stated, we believe that the Plough should be functioning as a Community pub, with the added attraction of its key place in the history of world football. A small internal museum would not be inappropriate. However, the Plough continues to be under threat.

The planning saga commenced when the previous owners, Enterprise Inns (Ei), decided to deliberately run-down their historically important asset before closure in 2015. Since then, there has been no serious maintenance work. Ei and the subsequent owners, Spacepad Construction Ltd., have left the pub to rot. Planning law places responsibility for the condition of the site with the current owner. By law, the building should have been maintained in a fit and proper condition for its current permitted use as a public house.

The site has deteriorated to such an extent that some local residents claim it is an ‘eyesore.’ These concerns are currently the subject of a Planning Enforcement enquiry regarding the unauthorised use of the site as a waste disposal facility and a storage site for unregistered vehicles. An Enforcement Notice has been recommended. Sheffield CC should issue a requirement for the building, and site, to be reinstated to the condition it was in at the time of purchase from Ei. At that point, an independent report, commissioned by the Plough Community Benefit Society Ltd., demonstrated that, in order for the pub to reopen, no major building work was required and that internal refitting costs were manageable within a realistic business plan. If the owners fail to reinstate the property, the Council should exercise its power to compulsorily purchase in order to avoid further deterioration.

The additional material recently submitted to the planning application by the applicant is essentially a re-mix of previously submitted documents, including correspondence concerning the marketing of the Plough and the exorbitant, and unrealistic, rental valuation of £50,000 per annum. The additional material does not demonstrate continuous marketing of the Plough at a realistic valuation as required by widely agreed criteria such as CAMRA’s Viability Test.

The recent planning history of a site is also a relevant consideration in planning decisions. In 2017, the local authority rejected Sainsbury’s application for change of use based on the Plough’s listing as an ACV and it accepted that there were no alternative community facilities within a reasonable distance. In 2018, following the sale of the Plough, the local authority re-listed the pub as an ACV. As there have been no material changes in the reasons why the Plough was listed as an ACV, this should remain an overriding consideration in any decision.

The closing date for comments regarding the latest planning application is 28th.January 2020: www.sheffield.gov.uk/planning reference: 19/02130/FUL

The pub is adjacent to the ground of Hallam FC (the 2nd.oldest football club in the world). Hallam occupy Sandygate, the oldest football ground in the world, the site of the first football game (Hallam v Sheffield FC) as recognised by FIFA. The Plough should be allowed to return as both a community pub and a key player in the developing Sheffield Football History experience.

Dave Pickersgill, Pub Heritage Officer

Loxley Brewery

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Loxley Brewery have been busy brewing over the festive period, with the new Milk Stout at 5.0% ABV being the most popular hit over the Christmas. Named Black Dog, this speciality ale has a heart-warming face behind it – Charlie, our Black Lab brew dog. The beer also has a musical twist, and those of you who love Led Zeppelin will have spotted that straight away! The owner of Loxley Brewery is a Led Zep superfan and it only felt right to include them in such a sentimental brew – check out the pump clip! Things can only get bigger and better in 2020, with plans underway to create a popular summer ale, to go alongside the ever popular winter brew. The last series of beer commemorated local reservoirs, including Dale Dyke and Dam Flask. Who knows what the next will be? You can find all things Loxley at The Wisewood Inn, and now The Raven Inn – a newly opened brew tap for Loxley Brewery. It is a very cosy and modern pub serving the finest cask and keg ales which go nicely with the selection of pork pies and sausage rolls on offer. Loxley ales are £2.50 between 12pm and 4pm weekdays, and you can’t get a better offer than that! CAMRA discounts are available at both venues. 2020 is looking to be an exciting year for Loxley Brewery, lots of events are planned so keep your eyes peeled to see where you can next get your hands on a pint. Happy New Year, or Happy New Beer (if you prefer!) Hannah