Category: Awards

Pub of the Year award presentation

Posted on by Andy Cullen

We presented our our overall Sheffield & District Pub of the Year award winner – the Kelham Island Tavern – with their certificate on Tuesday 8 July. A good turn out of CAMRA members and pub regulars enjoyed some excellent beer as our branch Chairman Paul Manning presented the certificates to Josh, Louise and the team. Complimentary pork pies and cheeses were enjoyed too! Congratulations on the well deserved award and thanks for the hospitality.

THE FULL LIST OF AWARD WINNERS

Overall Sheffield & District Pub of the Year – Kelham Island Tavern

District (Derbyshire) Pub of the Year – Old Hall Hotel, Hope

North Sheffield area Pub of the Year – Commercial, Chapeltown

East Sheffield area Pub of the Year – Oxbow micropub, Woodhouse Mill

South Sheffield area Pub of the Year – Brothers Arms, Heeley

West Sheffield area Pub of the Year – Rising Sun, Nether Green

City Centre area Pub of the Year – Bath Hotel

Kelham Island & Neepsend area Pub of the Year – Kelham Island Tavern

Cider Pub of the Year – The Old Shoe, Sheffield City Centre

Club of the Year – Crookes Social Club, Crookes.

Pub of the Month

Posted on by Guest

Pub of the Month

Since 1979 we’ve awarded pubs and bars that consistently serve good quality real ale in a friendly and comfortable environment.

At our recent AGM we agreed some changes to the nomination and voting process for Pub of the Month (POTM). These will be published in more detail on the website, but from now on we’ll be giving a POTM award 11 times a year – so you can expect to see one in each issue of Beer Matters. A POTM award will be given to the pub with the most votes each month.

How to nominate

You’ll have 3 weeks after a winner is announced to nominate a pub to win the next award, You can nominate using the form on the site, or in person at one of our meetings or events.

How to vote

A shortlist of nominees will be confirmed at the branch’s monthly committee meeting, after which you’ll have a week to vote.

Changes you’ll see

As we’ll have to work fast to get through nominations and voting within a month, you won’t see a list of nominees in Beer Matters. When the final list is available to vote on it will be published on the website, and members will also receive an email. Full guidance and rules will be published on the POTM page in the coming weeks.

Award presentations

Posted on by Andy Cullen

NORTH SHEFFIELD PUB OF THE YEAR – Commercial, Chapeltown

Our Kevin and the pub landlord! photo by John Beardshaw
The full team of staff along with our Kevin – photo by Phil Ellett

SHEFFIELD CITY CENTRE PUB OF THE YEAR – The Bath Hotel

Photo by Dan Rowe

EAST SHEFFIELD PUB OF THE YEAR – The Oxbow

The Oxbow, East Sheffield Pub of the Year presentation. Photo – Phil Ellett

ALL OUR ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS

  • North Sheffield Pub of the Year – Commercial, Chapeltown.
  • East Sheffield Pub of the Year – Oxbow, Woodhouse Mill
  • South Sheffield Pub of the Year – Brothers Arms, Heeley.
  • West Sheffield Pub of the Year – Rising Sun, Nether Green.
  • Central Sheffield Pub of the Year – Bath Hotel
  • Kelham Island & Neepsend Pub of the Year (and overall winner) – Kelham Island Tavern
  • District (Derbyshire) Pub of the Year – Old Hall Hotel, Hope.
  • Cider Pub of the Year – Old Shoe, Sheffield City Centre
  • Club of the Year – Crookes Social Club

Pub of the Year 2025 (Kelham and Overall)

Posted on by Paul Manning

Our overall 2025 Pub of the Year – and also Kelham Island & Neepsend Area Pub of the Year – is the outstanding Kelham Island Tavern. The Kelham Island area has become a Sheffield beer destination in its own right, easily accessible from the city centre by bus and tram.

Constructed in the 1830s as part of a terrace, the building originally operated as The Sawmaker, later becoming The White Hart, and in 1995, The Kelham Island Tavern. It closed in 1999, and the derelict building was purchased and reopened in March 2002, with a focus on real ale.

Over the last 22 years, the pub has gone from strength to strength. Since 2019, under the management of Josh and Louise, it has continued to offer a wide range of both cask and craft beers – always including a stout, porter, and a selection of IPAs and bitters. The beer range is consistently excellent, always featuring at least one from local brewery Blue Bee. The pub also boasts an excellent rear beer garden and maintains the standards to which many others aspire. A simple snack menu is available, including pork pies.

Kelham Island Tavern was the first pub to be named CAMRA National Pub of the Year two years running (2008 & 2009), and has been CAMRA Yorkshire Pub of the Year five times. It has also taken the title of Sheffield Pub of the Year on 18 occasions – a record that’s unlikely ever to be overtaken.

Please join us on Tuesday 8th July as we present these well-deserved awards to Josh, Louise and the team.

Pub of the Year 2023!

South Sheffield pub of the year presentation

Posted on by Phil Ellett

Tuesday 13 May saw a number of CAMRA members join the regulars at the Brothers Arms in Heeley for the presentation of our South Sheffield Pub of the Year award. It was a very nice sunny evening so the outdoor drinking area – a hillside terrace with a fantastic view over the city – was packed with many taking part in the usual pub quiz night, which also features complimentary cheese and nibbles, with the pub having a lovely atmosphere. The certificate was presented by Paul Crofts, our beer festival organiser and branch treasurer to the management and team.

Of course, as you’d expect there was a great range of well kept ales on the bar too, with your editor enjoying several pints of the Pictish on the night!

Congratulations to all at the Brothers on your award and thanks for your hospitality!

photographs by Phil Ellet and John Beardshaw

All our Pub & Club of the Year award winners:

  • North Sheffield – Commercial, Chapeltown (to be presented on 3 June)
  • South Sheffield – Brothers Arms, Heeley (presented 13 May)
  • East Sheffield – Oxbow, Woodhouse Mill (to be presented on 10 June)
  • West Sheffield – Rising Sun, Nether Green (presented 16 April)
  • Central Sheffield – Bath Hotel, Sheffield City Centre (to be presented 29 May)
  • District (Derbyshire) – Old Hall Hotel, Hope (presentation still to be arranged)
  • OVERALL WINNER – Kelham Island Tavern, Kelham Island (to be presented 8 July)
  • Cider – Old Shoe, Sheffield City Centre (presented on 23 April)
  • Club – Crookes Social Club, Crookes (presentation still to be arranged)

Pub of the Year (North Sheffield)

Posted on by Kevin Thompson

The winner of this year’s Sheffield North Pub of the Year is The Commercial in Chapeltown.

The pub itself dates back to 1890 when the area was becoming a sought after suburb. It was originally built by Strouts Brewery of Neepsend, a long standing brewery in Sheffield. Currently the pub is owned by Paul Menzies and wife Kate. They have Paul Harrison as Bar manager, assisted by Karen Layton and Sarah Fretwell.

The venue is affectionately known as “The Commie,” with visitors coming from Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Leeds to sample its charms. The bar is well stock with 8 cask ales and a cider on handpump, and as the pub is so popular, these change regularly with the beers coming from brewers both locally and nationally. It is also home to keg beers, and a large number of Whiskies. They are also home to Sheffield Distillery which produces gin and vodka onsite.

The pub has 3 rooms, a spacious drinking/eating area, a small snug which is ideal for meetings or conversation, and a games room with a pool table and sports TV. As a community pub, they host regular live folk sessions and beer festivals.

Food is provided by Sarah, including the legendary “Chip Butty” nights where you can find a variety of toppings for them. We are presenting their award following our branch meeting on Tuesday 3 June. The meeting starts at 8pm, followed by the award at 9pm.

Buses 2 and 2a pass the pubs front door or the 83 and 86 serve Chapeltown centre (followed by a short walk up Station Road). There is also a regular train service at Chapeltown station, between Sheffield and Barnsley, with a path through from the north end of the platforms towards the pub.

Cider Pub of the Year

Posted on by Kevin Thompson

The Old Shoe, the brainchild of Mike Pomranz (Cider Hole) and Matt Beety (The Bear) opened in 2023. Specialising in ciders and unusual cask/keg beers it nestles in an old shoe shop in Orchard Square. No stranger to awards, they have won Sheffield CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year for 2025. As well as always stocking a range of premium quality ciders on tap and in bottle, they organise tasting events led by well regarded cider makers and even make their own cider on site once a year (the 2024/25 batch was available to try on the award presentation day).

The bar stocks locally roasted coffee, as well as non-alcholic drinks. A retro touch is the vinyl record collection that plays in the background. A monthly comedy night rounds up the entertainment roster. Excitingly, the OS is expanding into the upstairs of the building, so keep an eye out for the launch very soon. 

Pictured with Sheffield & District CAMRA’s Dave Pickersgill are Old Shoe co-owner Mike Pomranz and general Manager Nath Hehir.

West Sheffield Pub of the Year

Posted on by Kevin Thompson

The Rising Sun owned by an employee trust, which includes Abbeydale Brewery has been a community pub for almost 20 years. 

The original Rising Sun was opened around 1860, the current establishment was built in 1904, in exchange for the demolition of the old pub to enable the widening of Fulwood Road.

The pub has 2 large comfortably furnished rooms with a log burning fire separating them. The large beer garden incorporates patio heaters. The pub is also child and dog friendly. Best of all, the pub has up to 13 cask ales with Abbeydale and guest rotations, including this evening, Abbeydale 6% Holy Water, last seen over 10 years ago.  

Photo: Garry Raynes (General Manager) seen receiving the award from Sheffield CAMRA Heritage Officer Dave Pickersgill. 

North Derbyshire Pub of the Year

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Four CAMRA branches that include North Derbyshire put forward pubs for judging in this entry round of the national competition (we in Sheffield & District enter one in North Derbyshire and one in Yorkshire) and as part of the deal all four branches have to go out and objectively judge all the pubs! The one that comes out on top is then judged against other East Midlands winners.

Here are the runners and riders!

Sheffield & District: The Old Hall Hotel in Hope

Dronfield & District: The Cross Daggers in Coal Aston

Chesterfield & District: The Rose & Crown in Brampton

Matlock & Dales: Bod Cafe Bar in Matlock

We went out and judged the Dronfield, Chesterfield and Matlock pubs using buses X17 and 44 on 12 April and had an enjoyable day, if you fancy recreating the trip an all day Derbyshire Wayfarer bus pass costs just £9.

Ahead of our visit, Dronfield & District branch presented their Pub of the Month award certificate to the Cross Daggers on the evening of Monday 7 April, this also saw a good turn out of branch members and pub regulars enjoying some well kept ale and conversation!

Pub of the Year 2025 (South Sheffield)

Posted on by Paul Crofts

The winner of this year’s award for Pub of the Year for Sheffield South is Heeley-based Brothers Arms. Originally named Ye Olde Shakespeare Inn, which can still be seen in embossed letters on the front of the pub, it was taken over in 2014 by 5 members of well-known local ukelele legends the Everley Pregnant Brothers. 11 years on and it is still run by the same 5 people, with one of them, Richard Bailes, acting as Manager.

As well as a good range of well-kept real ales the judging panel for the award particularly liked the community focus within the pub. Regular quiz nights, music nights, and art events cover a range of interests, providing a great meeting point for local customers. And of course there’s a few prints on the walls from local artist, and one of the original five “Brothers”,  Pete Mckee.

Visitors from further afield are also encouraged with the Brothers Arms being part of the “Heeley Triangle”, along with the Sheaf View and White Lion. The three pubs are starting to promote themselves collectively, and we can certainly confirm it’s a great pub crawl for real ale fans.

As a nod to the past the pub has some new artwork about to adorn their walls. As well as a number of old photos of the pub, there’s a list of all the landlords who have run the pub for the last 200 years, along with the name of the reigning monarch during their tenure. Originally put together by the Fox family who ran the pub through the 50’s and 60’s, it has been brought bang up to date, and a new version printed ready to hang on the wall.

Our presentation takes place on Tuesday 13th May, during the half time break in the quiz, so why not pop along to lend your support and maybe join the quiz, which starts at 7.30. See you there!

GETTING THERE: 106 Well Rd, Heeley, Sheffield S8 9TZ

Buses 10, 10a, 20, 24, 25, 42, 43, 44, X17 to London Road (by Ponsfords)

Buses 18, 18a, 73 to Spencer Road / Richards Road (near Heeley City Farm).

Bus timetables, maps and live tracking visit travelsouthyorkshire.com or bustimes.org.