Pub of the Month November 2016
Now my association with the Hillsborough Hotel goes back a long way. From the heady days of Dell Tilling, when the bar only opened Thursday to Sunday and we packed in to drink Brian Hendry’s excellent Crown HPA and Stannington Stout.
Well since then the Hillsborough has gone through some ups and downs and in recent times more downs, culminating in what looked like the end last October (2015). News of its demise was premature as I received a text from Tom and Brigitte Delaney to turn up as usual for my Tuesday Quiz. Tom who has been involved in a previous management along with his now wife, Brigitte, a former barmaid at the Hotel, had taken over and were re-launching,
There had to be changes, the previous owners had dismantled the brewery, so there was no more of the Wood Street Beers which in the latter days had been of poor quality.
Tom set about trying to regain the Hillsborough’s reputation and started with improving the beer quality. Anyone can slap a handpump on the bar and sell it but to sell it in good condition is an art. Throughput is important but cleanliness is paramount. Tom completely deep cleaned the cellar and lines and looked after his beer from day 1 of re-opening. Now a wise landlord friend of mine had said the secret of good ale was ‘Clean lines and Clean glasses’, this certainly was the rule now. Building up the beer range as the trade increased there are now at least 7 handpulls working selling a variety of LocAle and national ales with two regular beers Tapped Mojo and Acorn Barnsley Bitter both priced competitively at £2.60 a pint.
The quality and consistency is there to be tasted and that is reflected in an increase in punters who can always find a warm welcome coupled with a fine glass of beer.
Tom is also a well respected Chef and the kitchen soon started to turn out good home cooked food using fresh locally sourced produce with wonderful Sunday Lunches.
There is a very popular Quiz run by some Scottish bloke on Tuesday night. Live bands perform regularly on Fridays or Saturdays, usually at least once a month. A Pop Music Quiz on the 2nd Thursday. By popular demand the Folk Music Sessions have returned on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. Other events like the Alternative Burns Night and Gin Tasting have also been hosted.
A Year on it has been great to see the Hillsborough filling up again and getting the ‘buzz’ back. With many of the former great members of staff returning behind the bar and also in the kitchen, making a fantastic spirit to Team Hillsborough
Our current Chair Kate Major said about the Hillsborough in a blog about ‘Bars to Visit in Sheffield’ – ‘The Hillsborough Hotel has gone through some lean times but if anyone can revive the place then it is this couple’
Well done Tom, Brigitte and staff on winning this well deserved award.
Jim McDonald
The award will be presented on the evening of Tuesday 8th November, all are welcome.
Buses 57,81,82,85 pass outside, Langsett Primrose View tram stop is just around the corner.
We end our tenth year celebrations this month with our final Ten of the Best range special: Ginger Secret Santa is a full bodied, winter warming, Chocolate Ginger Bread Stout celebrating Sheffield at Christmas. Mashed with a variety of specialty malts and more packets of ginger nuts than you can cram into a stocking, Ginger Secret Santa is Christmas in a pint glass.
It doesn’t stop there with the celebrations! This Christmas, you can purchase a selection of The Sheffield Brewery Company beers in 500ml bottles. Beers on offer are Seven Hills (4.1% Pale Ale), Millowner’s Ale (4.3% Best Bitter) and new comer Brunswick Black (3.4% Porter).
Gift packs are available from 
Anyway, onto the beers. Kicking off December will be Destiny at 4.3%, destined to have a hearty Munich malt backbone, and single hopped with Simcoe at different stages of the brewing process. 
Our popular Beer Heads series now has a little Reveller to add to its repertoire, another session IPA at 3.9%. This one has a blend of American Simcoe, Summit and Chinook hops for a cornucopia of fruity flavours including pink grapefruit and passionfruit.
Surreal Ale #1 is making a return at 4.1%, and the next in our Animal Vengeance series will be out this month too… this time it’s the Crocodile Farmer! A 4.0% pale, promising to be full snappy Motueka and Rakau hops from down under.
The first beer of 2017 will be a return for Doctor Morton’s Crispy Automatic Duck, pale and aromatic with a distinctive orangey bouquet. We can also announce that January will witness an evolution of the range which began with Heathen earlier this year. Full details still to be confirmed at this stage but expect an exploration into exciting ingredients, forward-thinking beer styles and more of that amazing artwork that makes Heathen so instantly recognisable!
Finally, may I wish you all a very beery Christmas and a hoppy New Year!
Laura 
Tis the saison to be jolly! After the success of last year’s packs, we thought we’d do it all over again. This year, we have more gift packs available with a larger variety of beers.
Gift packs include Ryejoice (Red Rye 5.4%) hopped more Nelson Sauvin and Simcoe than you can stuff into a stocking, Jonah and the Pale (Transatlantic Pale Ale 5.0%), and one of the following Christmas beers, which will also be available in local bottle shops…
Ale Mary (Spiced Barley Wine 8.0%) This ramped up version of last year’s The First Noale is like drinking a mince pie… only more so!
Christingle Stout (Chocolate Orange Stout 4.9%) Everyone likes a Chocolate Orange at Christmas, so here’s one in a bottle! Luscious, sweet and stouty.
Tis the Saison 20:16 (Saison de Noel 6.6%) A firm favourite from last year, this saison is tart and crammed full of Christmas cranberries.
Midnight Mass (Black IPA 7.0%) For anyone who considers themselves a bit of a humbug, we’ve spruced up this hoppy Black IPA.
And finally, Nothing But the Blood Orange (Orange IPA 7.0%) Adorning a few lucky stockings this Christmas, this citrus ale is more fruity than a Christmas pudding.
Order your Christmas gift pack online at 
The Lescar (Sharrow Vale Road, S11) is possibly unique in that 1909 plans include the addition of a new ‘Children’s’ Entrance’ on the side of the building. These include a reference to ‘Obscure Glass,’ – presumably so that the ‘children’ could not see into goings-on inside. An earlier 1898 plan indicates a three-roomed pub with a single bar. Additions the following year add a large dining room to the rear of the building.
By 1913, the pub was owned by Mappins Masboro Old Brewery Ltd. 1955 plans, for Mappins, indicate that the Dining Room has become a ‘Concert Room’ and the bar has moved to its current position. The off-sales are behind the bar and the children’s entrance has become an entrance into the lounge. At this point it was planned to open out the Smoke Room with the use of RSJs. 1972 Plans indicate that this opening out did not occur. The current floor plan is otherwise identical to that in the 1955 plan.
The pub currently has a lobby entrance, Tap Room at the front and L-shaped lounge at the rear, both served by a central bar. There is also a separate function room, with own bar. There are some Art Décor features including door fittings and copious wood panelling. The lounge has two fireplaces, one probably original (left) and the other bought-in. The site, itself, was previously a water mill. At the peak, in the 19th.Century, the 10 km length of the River Porter from source to where it joins the River Sheaf in the city centre, had 21 mill ponds serving 19 water wheels.