Phil Ellett presents POM award to manager Jason Kerr, second right, of the Walkley Beer Company
Walkley Beer Company opened in 2014 in a former florists shop. Over the years it has increased its opening hours from weekends only and is now only closed on Mondays.
Technically not a micropub but an Off License shop with a tasting bar, it is described by themselves as “A local living room offering on and off sales.” and I concur with this description.
Their normal offering is a cider and two cask ales on hand-pull along with 6 keg beers on draft. Follow on beers and ciders are lined up ready to replace those that have sold out. This is in addition to fridge after fridge of bottled and canned beers.
Walkley Beer Co has a very friendly atmosphere and clientele and they offer a constantly changing range of cask/keg beers from both local breweries and others the length and breath of the UK.
Their normal opening hours are 4pm-10pm Tue-Fri and 2pm-10pm Sat-Sun.
The presentation will take place at the Walkley Beer Company on the evening of Tuesday 14 November, join us from 8pm for a beer or two! Bus 95/95a goes past the front door or bus 52/52a are just a short walk away.
Here are the pubs currently on the voting form, which can be found online at sheffield.camra.org.uk.
RAILWAY, WADSLEY BRIDGE
A classic old multi-roomed pub that came into new ownership post Covid and is slowly being refurbished inside and out, other changes already implemented is opening throughout the week, an increase in the choice of cask ales and handpump and the addition of craft beer to the keg taps. The pub also features retro arcade games and pinball, pool tables, classic juke box, stage for live music and sports on TV in some rooms. It also has an outdoor drinking area at rear.
Getting there: Bus 7, 8, 86 and 97 pass the front door.
CRAFTWORKS, MOSBOROUGH
Two shop units converted into a bar with some great real ales and other craft beers plus of course wines and spirits too. It opens all day and also serves decent coffee and a selection of cakes. Some evenings has entertainment such as a pub quiz or singer.
Getting there: buses 50, 50a, 53 and 55 pass the front door.
OXBOW, WOODHOUSE MILL
This little micropub is what the Americans might term a “neighbourhood bar”, ie a traditional community local in miniature with friendly regulars. Since opening the venue has extended a little bit with the construction of a sheltered seating area outside between the shop front and pavement. The bar features good quality craft beers on both cask and keg. Note card payment only.
Getting there: bus 52 stops outside or bus X5 stops just around the corner on the main road.
RUTLAND ARMS, CITY CENTRE
One of the classic boozers of the City Centre, the heritage tiled exterior sitting alongside more modern artwork on the beer garden wall giving you a clue what to expect inside – a fairly traditional interior but with lots of examples of the modestly punk attitude and humour of the staff and customers covering the walls whilst on the bar traditional real ales sit next to a varied range of modern craft beers. The food menu offers drinkers ballast like chip butties alongside specials that a fancy bistro might be proud of.
Getting there: buses 10, 10a, 32, 56, 57, 57a, 65, 95, 95a, 218, 271 and 272 stop outside; there are also many other buses, trains and trams a short walk away.
CROW INN, WEST BAR
The Crow was opened in its current guise in 2019 after a full refit, under previous ownership it had been operating as a budget hotel. It continues to offer rooms upstairs which have been refurbished to a modern and comfortable standard whilst on the ground floor it has been restored as a pub with a comfortable lounge area and a bar serving a selection of craft beers on cask and keg by friendly and knowledgeable staff, the spirits list is also rather credible too! Snacks available include pork pies and sausage rolls.
Getting there: bus 31 stops outside or buses 57, 57a, 81, 82 and 86 stop a few minutes walk away on Gibraltar Street.
No-one, in their right mind, would open a brand-new pub on Friday the spooky old 13th of the month… would they? Anyway, on Friday 13th May last year, the Boston Arms opened its doors for the very first time. They needn’t have worried, though. Opening night went very well, and the pub has gone from strength to strength ever since.
The pub is situated in a former insurance brokers’ office in the Woodseats area to the south of the city. The conversion to a pub included the installation of a distinctive suspended ceiling, and proper wood flooring. Three hand-pumps grace the bar, with the beers usually from independent breweries, and always one from a Sheffield brewery. Eight keg fonts add to the range, and the eclectic ‘fridge of fun’ is a must for fans of small-pack, or take-out for later!
The Boston Arms has been described as ‘the biggest micro-pub in the city’ and understandably so. The front bar area, rear lounge, and a room up some (reasonably steep) stairs have now been complemented by the recently opened ‘secret garden’ and converted out-building – the Boston Bothy – adding yet more capacity. The Boston retains the micro-pub ethic throughout, with no slot machines, no pool table, no sport on big screens – just good beer and good banter, and a well-chosen selection of background music.
But pubs these days need to rely on more than booze and banter to survive. The Boston Arms has excelled in this area. A full coffee menu is available from local roasters Smith Street Coffee, and artisan cakes and pastries will tempt anyone to start the diet tomorrow. A weekly charity quiz is well supported, and live music has proved popular. More left-field events have included night choirs, a ceramics workshop and live dog-portait painting (really). All in all, a true community local.
With its dedication to decent beer, in comfortable surroundings, and a genuine emphasis on the local community, it is little wonder that the Boston Arms has taken just over a year to go from Friday 13th start-up to Sheffield CAMRA Pub of the Month.
Richard Hough
Award being received by manager Robbie Macdonald from Beer Matters magazine editor Andy Cullen
As Sheffield Tigers clubhouse won the Sheffield CAMRA’s Club of the Year 2023 I decided to pop along to the clubhouse and meet up with Tim, their bar manager to discuss things beer and Tigers.
Sheffield Tigers are a local rugby club who play at Dore Moor and currently play in National League 2 North and their clubhouse is basically open when the teams play or train, usually Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and on Sundays.
The clubhouse is warm and welcoming with TVs for Sport and enough room to seat around 60 people with a bar area to the end of the clubhouse. Here they serve traditional Sheffield beers on Cask from Abbeydale brewery, namely “Moonshine” and “Daily Bread” coupled to a variety of keg beers, lagers, Cider and Guinness. There is also an array of various wines and spirits.
Tim was keen to express just how good the Cask beer is and how they have invested in new modern cellar technology to be able to serve a perfect pint, also making sure the staff are properly trained in pint pulling.
So, its easy to see why Tigers were nominated and on a match day the bar is usually full with people both enjoy rugby and a good pint of beer, and the ambience and atmosphere is friendly and usually buzzing.
Add to this that Tigers hold their own beer festival every August and you have a great combination. This year they are expecting around 40 Cask beers and around 10 Keg beers from in and around Sheffield for you to try in a very pleasant marquee setting. A few pictures from last year’s event are here…
We’re presenting their award at their beer festival on Friday 25 August, 7:30pm. All welcome. Buses 65, 271 and 272 pass the end of their drive or buses to Dore (81/82) are a short walk away.
The Kelham Island Area is now a Sheffield Beer Tourist Attraction, with Bus and Tram connections from the city centre. The Kelham Island Tavern has consistently over the years been awarded Pub of the month, area Pub of the Year and Sheffield Pub of the Year. It is also a former CAMRA National pub of the year award winner, for two Consecutive Years. The Kelham Island Tavern has now been put in to the Yorkshire entry round of the National Competition. The Kelham Island Tavern is included in the 2023 Good Beer Guide.
This Gem of a pub was rescued from dereliction back in 2002. At the rear of the L-shaped bar area is a conservatory and in warmer weather you can enjoy a pint in the multi award winning beer garden.
Thirteen Hand Pumps dispense an impressive range of beers, always including a Mild a Porter and Stout. The beer range includes Abbeydale Moonshine, Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Pictish Brewers Gold and 10 changing beers, often including Abbeydale, Blue Bee and North riding Brewery. A recent bar refit has also increased the number of craft Beers on Keg.
Congratulations to Josh, Louise and the Team. Please join us for The Presentation on Tuesday July 11 at 9pm.
Sheffield & District CAMRA chairman Glyn Mansell presenting the West Sheffield Pub of the Year award to manager Garry Raynes
A pub has been sited here since the 19th century, with its first appearance in the 1859 General Directory of Sheffield. The name is chosen for pubs facing east and receiving the early-morning sun, which the original building did.
The current pub opened when the then owners, The Sheffield Town Trustees, agreed to provide land for the widening of Fulwood Road free of charge in return for the demolition and re-construction of the original Pub. The existing building opened in July 1904, operated by the Sheffield Public House Trust Company. The University of Sheffield Students Union took over the pub in July 1922, with Abbeydale Brewery taking ownership just in time for Christmas 2005.
The Rising Sunis a community Pub and in the Good Beer Guide 2023. It acts as the tap for Abbeydale Brewery with Daily Bread, Deception, Moonshine and Absolution always available alongside 7 changing beers from Abbeydale and guests. An ever- changing Cider is also available.
Food is served Tuesday – Saturday 12-9pm Sunday 12-7pm, with the dining room located in a recent extension to the pub. Other recent developments include a section of the car park given over to an upgraded outdoor drinking area.
Congratulations to Garry and the Team for the area Pub of the year 2023 (Sheffield West). We are presenting the certificate on the evening of Thursday 20 July, all are welcome to join us there for a beer or two from 8pm. Buses 83 and 120 stop right outside.
A Bridlington pub has been voted as the Yorkshire pub of the year by members of CAMRA
Three B’s Micropub in the centre of Bridlington sells over 10 different ciders and perrys from cider producers from all around the country but always stocks products from Yorkshire such as Tree Top Press and Udders. Despite opening during the first Covid lockdown in 2020, the pub is becoming renowned for its high-quality range of real ales as well as ciders. Homemade parkin and sausage rolls are also available alongside local butchers’ pies which often get as many positive comments as the beer and ciders on offer, with customers disappointed if these run out due to high demand.
Commenting on the accolade of being the best cider pub in Yorkshire, owner Mark Bates said “We always have over 10 ciders permanently available with around half coming from suppliers from within Yorkshire, as well as more traditional cider producing areas, so we are over the moon to have been recognised with this major award from CAMRA”
CAMRA Yorkshire Cider Co-ordinator Christine Jane said “We have judged Three B’s Micropub as being Yorkshire CAMRA cider pub of the year with particular note of the customer service, inclusiveness and knowledge of the product offered at the venue”
The presentation for Yorkshire Cider Pub of the Year will take place on 12th August at 3pm at the pub, all are invited. (In the event of a rail strike this will be moved to 19th August).
You can find 3 B’s micropub at 2 Marshall Avenue, Bridlington, YO15 2DS. Northern run regular direct trains from Sheffield to Bridlington via Hull with discounted tickets often available when booked in advance.
There has been a pub in the village of Litton since three cottages were knocked together in 1787. In more recent times, a late 1970’s Sheffield CAMRA “Real Beer” guide described the Red Lion in Litton as a “stone built free house in an idyllic setting overlooking the village green, upon which stand the stocks and an ancient stone cross of unknown origin. Its cosy interior has open fires and ‘olde-worlde’ charm. The only beer mentioned was Theakston’s ‘Best Bitter’ and the pub was closed weekday lunchtimes.
Although the pub retains its olde-worlde comfort and charm to this day, it’s now open weekday lunchtimes through to the early evenings and serves excellent meals and beers. It can get very busy especially at weekends when, according to its website ‘it pays to book’ and offers a very fulsome range of excellent homemade food using quality produce from local suppliers .
It now offers anything up to five hand pulled real ales on the bar, mostly local sourced – Peak Ales from Bakewell, Eyam brewed beers and Abbeydale Beers from Sheffield, with occasional beers from further away such as a Porter from Bolton.
It regularly and deservedly features in CAMRA’s annual ‘Good Beer Guide’ and recently achieved top marks in the Cask Marque assessment scheme. It also hosts a beer festival in June as part of the local Wakes Week.
And if you need a base to explore the beautiful surrounding countryside it also offers accommodation either in its own rooms or in a nearby cottage for longer stays. Its also on the 65 (Sheffield-Buxton) and 173 (Bakewell-Castleton) bus routes.
Much praise for making and keeping it this way must go to Jeanne Mason, who has been in charge since 2014, and her excellent bar and kitchen staff. Every day they offer what every village pub should be offering in the choice and quality of the beer and food and surroundings, making the Red Lion a very worthy winner of this year’s District Pub of the Year award from the Sheffield & District CAMRA Members.
As our district winner the pub went forward into the North Derbyshire round of the national competition and achieved runner up.
The team at the Red Lion with their certificates. Photo by John Beardshaw.
The award was made at the end of our 5 mile July RambAle walk which had started earlier at Eyam, calling in at the Bulls Head in Foolow and the Three Stags Heads in Wardlow Mires on the way. Not letting the high number of stiles and gates and the inclement weather encountered on the way preventing us from delivering the certificates to the Red Lion intact (if slightly late).
The Gardeners Rest team are presented with their North Sheffield area Pub of the Year award by Paul CroftsMalcolm Dixon from Sheffield CAMRA presents the City Centre Pub of the Year award to Sheffield Tap manager Craig ChaplinSheffield & District CAMRA branch chairman Glyn presents the Sheffield Pub of the Year and Kelham Island area pub of the year to Josh Jepson and Louise Singleton at the Kelham Island TavernJosh, Louise and their team behind the bar at the Kelham Island Tavern with their Pub of the Year certificates
