Author: Admin

Dronfield Arms

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The Dronfield Arms’ downstairs restaurant has returned to its original format and is now once again known as ‘The Vault’. It reopened on 15 Nov and in charge is head chef Chris Pick, who was previously Executive Chef at the Mecure St Pauls Hotel and has years of experience cooking at award winning venues. The Vault serves food Thu-Sat evenings and Sunday lunchtime, access is via the pub and drinks can be ordered from the pub’s bar (including real ale). Booking advisable.

Closed Shop, Commonside

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The Closed Shop at Commonside continues to push on with their weekly music events, and the third Wednesday is no exception. Indie-pop-singalong starts at 8.30pm, ‘repairing society with communal drinking and singing’. Anyone is welcome to pop down, have a few drinks, a few laughs, join in with some singing/playing or just watch on from afar. The team behind the Rutland Arms and The Closed Shop are very pleased and excited to have taken over the running of the Three Tuns on Silver Head Street, Sheffield City Centre. The beautifully shaped pub is well known to Andy and several of his colleagues from their time at the Wig & Pen and they are really enthused to be back in that area of the city. Initial plans are to restore the use of the 6 handpulls (with a selection of local, regional and national favourites), add a choice of real cider and rejig the product range. In January there are plans to enhance the food offering and extend the hours as well. Rumours even abound of a LEGO version.

Dove & Rainbow

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The Dove & Rainbow (Harts­head Sqare in the City Centre) now has Robinson’s Iron Maiden Trooper in bottles as well as on handpull, to avoid disappointment on the occasions when the cask version has run dry. And in the run up to Christmas you can expect the usual seasonal suspects (Wychwood Bah Humbug and Hardy & Hansons Rocking Rudolf) to put in a guest appearance, as well as a few surprises. There’ll also be a series of local Guest Stouts and Porters from SIBA to warm you up throughout the winter months. Don’t forget your CAMRA membership card to claim 10% off all local ales.

The Florentine, Tapton Park Road

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The Fulwood Inn on Tapton Park Road has had a refurbishment and change of name, reopening as the Florentine on 29th November offering food and accommodation . On the bar, as well as the usual well known brands they will be offering a local guest ale, starting with Abbeydale Moonshine. This is part of the roll out of the new Revere Pub Company, owned by Marstons, all the pubs in this chain will be premium standard with hotel rooms, freshly cooked food and real ale.

Pub of the Month December 2013

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The Red Deer on Pitt Street, hidden away off West 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, including regularly changing guest beers. A good selection of malt whiskies are also available. Quality “pub grub” is available 12-3pm and 5-9pm weekdays and 12-9pm Saturday/Sunday. Tuesday evenings there is a fairly challenging pub quiz, there’s an acoustic session on the first Thursday of the month and open mike on the third Thursday. A popular movie night is held in the upstairs function room on the second and fourth Sunday, alternating between sci-fi and arts films. The well-deserved Pub of the Month award will be presented on the evening of Tuesday 10th December 2013, 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.

Sheffield Tap on National Inventory

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In 2009, following years of neglect, the old First Class Refreshment Room re-opened as the Sheffield Tap. It was originally built, by the Midland Railway, as part of the 1905 station extension (company architect, Charles Trubshaw). It is adorned with Minton tiled walls and fine ornamental bar-fittings. The good surviving fabric (tiling, terrazzo floor, parts of the bar fittings and other joinery) has been beautifully restored while items beyond repair have been carefully replaced, or replicated, including the entire coved and sky-lighted ceiling in the main bar area. Layout changes have seen further rooms added. On opening, a second room (a former taxi office) was included to provide street access. A year later, third and fourth rooms followed. Considerable effort has been put into the beer range, so not only is the Tap an attraction to passengers and those with an interest in historical buildings, but also to serious beer lovers. In addition to the eleven hand pumps, there is a very extensive range of internationally sourced bottled beers. The Tap won the 2010 National Publican Food & Drinks Award ‘Cask Pub of the Year,’ the ‘Modern Railways Restoration Award’ and a CAMRA/English Heritage Pub Design Award. Early 2013 saw the addition of the refurbished First Class Dining room. The latter closed in 1976 and had been left to rot. It includes opulent seating, a second bar, the brewery and a viewing gallery, which allows customers to follow the brewing process. The brewery (Tapped Brewing Co.) supplies all the bars in the Tap chain. The Sheffield Tap has been lovingly restored and, for its superb historic decor and as one of the UK’s last surviving historic railway buffets, it has been recently added to CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. It is an absolute ‘must-see'” The Tap will be featured in the forthcoming second edition of the CAMRA publication, ‘Yorkshire’s Real Heritage Pubs.’ Dave Pickersgill

Community pubs update

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Bamford’s Anglers Rest is now under community ownership, a small village in the Peak District managed to raise £263,500 from its community share issue to create a community pub, post office and cafe. The pub was officially handed over to the Bamford Community Society on 28th. October and opening day was 2nd November. The pub is being run on a day-to-day basis by the new management couple, Troy and David. The plan is to turn the pub into a community hub, housing several services in one building. A café will open in late November, and the village Post Office will relocate there in January. In the longer term the property will also feature bunkhouse accommodation and car parking for both residents and visitors. For more information, see their website: anglers.bamford.coop Liz Marshall, of the Bamford Community Society, said: “It was such a special moment when we finally became the owners of the Angler’s Rest. It is the culmination of two years of hard work and commitment and was a much bigger undertaking than any of the group initially expected. Over the next few months we hope that the Angler’s Rest will become a true community hub that all of Bamford’s residents can use and enjoy, and that will also attract visitors to the village. When we first started we were told that local people wouldn’t buy into the pub in order to secure its future. But this project has shown that local people do care about their community assets and services, and we are thrilled by the high level of support we have received.” A similar community group is looking to run the Angel Hotel at Spinkhill. Their case will be going to North East Derbyshire District Council Planning Committee. However, the Agent acting on behalf of the developer has submitted a revised site plan which shows provision for some additional parking but has not addressed many of the issues raised by objectors to the planned scheme. The developer seems to be steam rolling ahead irrespective of the ACV (Asset of Community Value) status which the pub currently enjoys. Dave Pickersgill

Kelham Island Brewery

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Our Christmas seasonals will be out and about from late November: Fairytale Of New York 4.2% dark Christmas ale is a fine full-bodied winter warmer brewed with a specially selected Belgian yeast, a trio of roasted malts and Slovenian hops resulting in a spicy, sweet toasted aroma with hints of chocolate and a lavish warming flavour. The Adventures of Captain Chrimbo 5.4% strong IPA is full flavoured and golden with a blend of our favourite hops. Fruity with a full malty body and perfect for the festive season. The Kelham Brewery shop is now fully stocked with a great selection of gifts and beer gift packs. Beer for your Christmas celebration is available in bottles, 5 litre cans, 18 and 36 pint boxes. Our brewery tour vouchers make great Xmas gifts or treat a loved one to our Brewer for the Day experience. Our Port & Cheese evening in November sold out straight away so we have added a second Port & Cheese night on Saturday 14th December. We have various tours and tastings throughout December so check out the website. Finally a big thank you to everyone who has supported Kelham Island Brewery over the last 12 months. It is much appreciated.