CAMRA Sheffield & District
Sheffield & District branch of CAMRA
On Saturday 6th July a number of Sheffield & District CAMRA members took a minibus trip out into the Derbyshire Peak District area of our branch to visit a number of pubs that are harder to get to and included a visit to the Three Stags Head at Wardlow Mires to present their certificate for winning our Pub of the Year award for the Derbyshire area.
This is a classic, unspoilt rural pub that serves good ale and is listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory of unspoilt pub interiors.
Photos: Patrick Johnson presenting the certificate to managers Kath and Andy. Taken by John Beardshaw and Dave Pickersgill. 
Thursday 27th June saw CAMRA members and pub regulars head down to the Sheaf View at Heeley for their South Sheffield Pub of the Year certificate presentation, some fantastic beer and a much enjoyed buffet including hot pork sandwiches.
The Sheaf View has been operating under the current ownership for 19 years now, having been bought by James Birkett in 2000 as a failed, boarded up former Marstons pub. It reopened as a real ale freehouse and was a hit from the start. You can now always find beers from Neepsend brewery on the bar as it is under the same ownership, along with some great guest beers. The pub also hosts an impressive whiskey selection, usually has sandwiches available and there is a weekly quiz night.
Well done to Josh Hayton and team at the Sheaf View for running a great real ale pub and being voted the best in South Sheffield by CAMRA members. 
CAMRA members joined pub regulars, musicians and others at the Gardeners Rest for beer, food and music on the evening of Friday 21st June as our branch chairman presented their winners certificate. 
You may recall the top Derbyshire pub in the Sheffield & District Pub of the Year competition, which we put forward to the North Derbyshire round of the national competition, was the Three Stags Head at Wardlow Mires. Unfortunately it didn’t win, although came a respectable 2nd.
Our friends and neighbours down in Dronfield CAMRA however have done the double!
The Miners Arms at Hundall has been named North Derbyshire Pub of the Year. This is a great community local in a rural spot with views over the valley. A choice of well priced real ales feature on the bar along with an extensive selection of cider and gin. Food is limited to a selection of simple pub snacks including sausage rolls and pasties. There are several distinctive areas to the pub – one with a pool table, one with sports on TV and a comfortable quieter lounge area along with a conservatory and beer garden.
Meanwhile closer in to Dronfield town centre, the Pioneer Club on Stonelow Road (which recently hosted Dronfield CAMRA’s beer festival), was named Derbyshire Club of the Year. The club is quite community focused hosting meetings and trips out as well as having a busy programme of events including quiz nights, bingo, pool league, sports teams and live music. The bar has 4 handpumps offering a mix of local and regional ales at reasonable prices.
The presentation at the Miners Arms is planned for Friday 28th June around 8:30pm with live music following after. The pub is a 10 minute taxi ride from Dronfield station.
The Pioneer Club will be celebrating their award on Friday 26th July and this will feature live music. This will also be a volunteers reunion for those that helped at Dronfield beer festival and a pie and pea supper will be provided!
Local CAMRA members joined regulars at the Dog & Partridge on Tuesday 11th June to celebrate the pub winning our June Pub of the Month award. Vice Chairman Patrick is photographed presenting the certificate to Matt, Conor, Rheannon and Rebecca. We also enjoyed a selection of 4 ales all at the celebratory price of £2 a pint for the evening and some fantastic food too. Those that got down earlier had the opportunity to join in the regular weekly quiz. 
Pictured receiving the award from Glyn Mansell: Annabelle Mould and James Eardley 
Dating back to 1796, The Dog and Partridge is a cosy multi-room dog-friendly pub in Sheffield city centre. Many activities take place onsite. These include folk events, games nights and a weekly quiz: 6.00 p.m. every Tuesday. Since early 2013, the Dog and Partridge has been led by Landlord, Conor Smith.
Conor, and his team, utilise four hand-pumps to provide an ever-changing range of quality beers, mostly from local breweries: a regular Bitter (usually Stancil) and Stout (often Chantry), one pump dedicated to specials from Abbeydale with the fourth pump providing a wide range of guests. Recently these have included Ashover, Bad Seed, Blue Bee, Great Newsome and Magic Rock. They also serve ‘the best Guinness outside Dublin.’ A 10% discount is available for card-carrying CAMRA members.
Previously Pub of the Month in March 2014, the Dog and Partridge is on the CAMRA Regional Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors: for pubs that are of ‘some regional importance’ (SRI), meaning that specific features are of sufficient quality for the pub to be considered noteworthy.
Although the interior of four rooms has been opened-out and modernised, the original layout is still visible; there is some inter-war tiling on the right-hand side of the corridor into the pub and one nearly intact room. The central snug has been spared from excessive change. Cosy and genuinely historic, this little room retains its old fireplace, original door and fixed seating, with a wide panel above still having bell pushes from the days of table service. The fireplace is also very old but has a modern hearth. Graffiti, of various ages, is carved into the woodwork.
1974 plans proposed that this snug become a male toilet and the servery re-configured. Luckily, these alterations did not materialise. Further alterations in 1989 saw the pub extend into a neighbouring shop, creating the snug to the left of the entrance. The three-storey stone building also has good ‘DOG & PARTRIDGE GILMOURS WINDSOR ALES & STOUTS’ raised lettering on the fascia and an interesting sign above the entrance.
The pub opens at 12 noon daily, closing at 11:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday, 11:30 Friday and Saturday and 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. Home-made food is available Tuesday – Saturday, lunchtimes and early evening (12-2 and 5-9).
