Your Beer Matters magazine has won an award, this year we are officially the best!
As none of us from Sheffield & District could make the national Members’ Weekend in St Albans, our regional Director Kevin Keaveney picked up the award and presented it to editor Andy Cullen at our branch AGM.
Thanks go to all those that contribute towards what makes Beer Matters possible – Robin who does the design, all the advertisers that help cover the costs, all of you that contribute news and articles, the volunteers that distribute copies to pubs and the Dog & Partridge pub for providing a base for the printers to deliver to and for distributors to collect from!
[And of course thanks and congratulations to our editor Andy, who has now compiled the magzine for over 200 issues!]
The Blake Hotel has been voted by our members Pub of the Year 2026 (North Sheffield). This is the third time it has won the award since our regional awards were started in 2019 (previous wins being in 2022 and 2024).
Their range of guest beers from small/independent breweries include a stout or porter and always includes several beers from Neepsend Brewery (former operator of the pub). They also have real cider and both local and continental keg beers. In addition the pub provides a large selection of whiskies.
At the top of the infamously steep Blake Street (pedestrian handholds provided), this community pub reopened as a free house in 2010 after seven years of closure. In 2022 it became part of the Trust Inns estate (along with Sheaf View).
Extensively restored, it has many Victorian features, including etched windows and mirrors. At the rear is a large decked garden. No electronic games, TV or jukebox.
Join us for the award presentation and to celebrate the win with a few drinks from 8pm on Thursday 18 June.
One of Sheffield’s newer micropubs, No.3 was opened by Loxley Brewery owner Stephen Wesley in a former Sharrow Vale shop in November 2024.
It’s named not for its street address but that it’s the third of Loxley’s pubs, after the Wisewood Inn in Loxley and the Raven in Walkley – another recent PotM winner. We visited No.3 as part of our recent Ecclesall Road social and it proved a hit with members, resulting in their win as our Pub of the Month for May.
The micropub is a single wood panelled room with an impressive central bar, made of yew and oak from Grenoside. There is window seating and larger tables in the front, and church pew seating in the rear of the venue. A bench outside offers limited seating in warmer months – and at the end of summer 2025 an air conditioning unit was installed to provide a more literally chilled atmosphere.
Manager Joe and his team curate a large music playlist which is played low to provide a cosy background to the quiet adults-only space. The micropub attracts locals and also diners from the many nearby restaurants.
The ‘cellar’, a small shed located outside to the rear of the premises, provides three lines of changing Loxley real ale. There are also seven keg lines with four lines of guest craft keg from a range of local and national breweries. Alongside these there are regular lines of a cider, Dortmunder Vier, and Loxley’s Black Dog milk stout.
No.3 is a welcome addition to Sharrow Vale and the thriving Sheffield micropub scene, and this award is well deserved. Join us at the bar at 8pm on Tuesday 12 May to share a beer with the team and celebrate.
The Sheaf View at Heeley has again been voted as CAMRA Sheffield & District Pub of the Year (Sheffield South) by our members. The award was presented on Thursday 19 March.
The 19th century pub, near Heeley City Farm became a real ale oasis since reopening as a free house in 2000. The walls and shelves are adorned with breweriana and provide an ideal background for good drinking and conversations.
The pub changed ownership becoming part of the Trust Inns estate (along with the Blake Hotel) in 2022. Day-to-day management however has remained unchanged. The pub was refurbished both internally and externally in the summer of 2024, ready for its 25th Year of trading.
They provide eight casks ales, four from Neepsend Brewery (Celebrating its 10th birthday last year) and four guest ales. A wide range of Belgian and other continental beers, an incredible selection of malt whiskies and traditional cider are also available.
They also have occasional events such as beer festivals and live music sessions.
This June, Fri 19 – Sun 21 will see their 31st Birthday Beer Festival. This is the summer edition of their regular beer festival and will feature a pop up bar in the conservatory and further festival beers in the kiosk outside. Great beer and music guaranteed.
This is a popular local pub and especially so on Wednesday quiz nights and Sheffield United match days.
The Sheaf View has now won the Sheffield South Pub of the Year award six times since the area awards were started in 2019.
As a real haven for cider lovers in the city, it’s no surprise that The Old Shoe has again been crowned our Cider Pub Of The Year.
Despite only being open for 3 years, it has become a popular destination in the city centre for fans of cider, beer and wine alike, thanks to co-owners Mike Pomranz and Matt Beety.
Mike brings his experience running The Cider Hole, previously at Shalesmoor, and Matt also owns micropub The Bear on Abbeydale Road.
A recent revamp has increased the amount of seating to accommodate it’s rising popularity.
21 taps and 2 cask lines, dispense a wide range of drinks, including 5 ciders, and some low alcohol options. Wine lovers can choose from an incredible 13 options by the glass, and there’s usually a mead on offer too!
Join us on Wednesday 13th May when we present their award. The evening starts at 8pm with the actual presentation at 9.
The Rising Sun at Nether Green has been voted Pub of the Year for the Sheffield West area.
There was some stiff competition from other pubs in this area, but the Rising Sun won out thanks to it’s large and varied beer range, excellent facilities and it’s focus on the local area.
The pub is owned by Abbeydale Brewery,which explains the large number of their beers on the bar, although several handpumps and keg taps are given over to guest brewers from around the country.
As part of the presentation evening, we arranged a well-attended tasting session featuring 5 beers from Abbeydale, and hosted by Online Sales Manager Edd Entwistle. Edd has been with the brewery for over 5 years, having previously been the owner/brewer of Hopjacker Brewery in Dronfield.
We were treated to 1/3 pint samples of five beers – Moonshine (4.3% Pale Ale); Deception (4.1% NZ Pale Ale); Absolution (5.3% Golden Ale); Daily Bread (3.8% Bitter) and the cask version of Heathen (4.1% American Pale Ale).
The attendees were also given Abbeydale own tasting sheets to score the beers, and one sheet was pulled out at random to award a free pint to its lucky owner.
A great time was had by everyone, and following a mass move in to the main bar, the award for Sheffield West Pub of the year was presented to manager Gary and his team.
ALL OUR PUB OF THE YEAR WINNERS…
North Sheffield – the Blake, Walkley (presentation date TBA)
East Sheffield – Chantry Inn, Handsworth (presentation 21 May)
South Sheffield – Sheaf View, Heeley (presentation 19 March)
West Sheffield – Rising Sun, Nether Green (presentation 31 March)
Sheffield City Centre – Dog & Partridge (presentation 28 April)
Sheffield Kelham Island & Neepsend – Kelham Island Tavern (presentation 30 June)
District (Derbyshire) – Red Lion, Litton (presentation 18 April)
Cider Pub of the Year – Old Shoe, Sheffield City Centre (presentation 13 May)
Club of the Year – Crookes Social Club (presentation 5 June)
Crookes Club on Mulehouse Road in Crookes, has again been voted our Club of the Year.
Established in 1919, the club has had its share of ups and downs over the years, but under the stewardship of General Manager Maurice Champeau it has seen a resurgence in recent times.
As well as keeping with its traditional working men’s club roots, Maurice has established the club as a thriving music venue, featuring a wide range of acts and styles. The monthly Comedy Village showcasing new comedians has also proved very popular.
In addition to the Main Hall, which holds 500 people, there is the Midfield Suite, with a capacity of 50, the Lounge bar which has plenty of seating as well as 2 snooker tables and a pool table, and the attraction of a full sized bowling green by the car park.
During the week there is a wide range of activities on offer, including toddler groups, self defence classes, burlesque dancing, French lessons, exercise classes, and of course the Friday and Sunday Quiz and Bingo nights.
The beer range regularly features beers from local breweries Bradfield and Abbeydale.
Crookes Club is a real success story and has become an important part of the local community. Join us as we present their award on Friday 5th June at 9pm in the lounge bar.
The Gardeners Rest on Neepsend Lane is our April Pub of the Month. Sitting on the River Don, the pub has long been a favourite with local real ale drinkers and continues to attract both regulars and visitors to the area.
The pub dates from 1898. After significant flood damage in 2007 the building underwent refurbishment before reopening in 2009, and in 2017 it was purchased by the Gardeners Rest Community Society, making it Sheffield’s first community-owned pub. The 382 initial investors raised over £237000 between them, and in the years since their numbers have increased to over 430.
The pub is split into several areas. There is a main bar area where music events are held regularly, and to the left of the entrance is a small billiards room in the former dram shop. To the rear is a conservatory which leads out into an eclectically decorated garden overlooking the Don.
Up to six cask ales are typically available, with a regularly changing lineup sourced from independent breweries from across the country. CAMRA members can receive a discount.
The Gardeners Rest is well known for its community focus, hosting live music, quizzes and a range of local events throughout the year, including beer festivals. They are also the host for Sheffield & District CAMRA’s beer festival planning meeting in preparation for Steel City each year. With its welcoming atmosphere, varied beer selection and strong ties to the neighbourhood, it is a deserving recipient of our Pub of the Month award.
Join us for a beer and the presentation of the award at the pub on 21 April from 8pm.
Our overall 2026 Pub of the Year and also Sheffield Kelham Island & Neepsend area pub of the year is the outstanding Kelham Island Tavern. The Kelham Island area is now a Sheffield beer tourist attraction, with excellent bus and tram connections from the City Centre.
The overall winner is selected by judges visiting all the area winners, which were voted for by our members, and objectively scoring them against nationally set criteria.
Constructed in the 1830s as part of a terrace, and originally operating as the Sawmaker, the pub was later renamed the White Hart, and in 1995 became the Kelham Island Tavern, before closing in 1999. In March 2002, the derelict building was purchased and reopened, specialising in real ale.
Over the last 22 years, the pub has continued to thrive and since 2018, under the management of Josh and Louise, it has continued to offer a wide range of both cask and craft beers always including a porter, stout and many IPA’s and bitters.
It has an excellent rear beer garden and the pub maintains the standards to which many others aspire. The beer range is consistently excellent, always including at least one from Blue Bee.
A simple snack menu is available including pork pies. The Kelham Island Tavern was the first pub to be CAMRA National Pub of the Year two years running (in 2008 & 2009). It has been CAMRA Yorkshire Pub of the Year five times and now Sheffield Pub of the Year on 19 occasions: a record which is highly unlikely to be overtaken.
Please join us on Tuesday 30 June from 8pm as we present the well deserved awards to Josh, Louise and team.
Josh, Louise and their team at the Kelham Island Tavern receiving their 2025 award from our Chairman Paul Manning.
Area winners
Dog & Partridge (City Centre) – presentation on 28 April
Kelham Island Tavern (Kelham Island & Neepsend) – presentation on 30 June
Blake Hotel, Walkley (North)
Chantry Inn, Handsworth (East) – presentation on 21 May
Sheaf View, Heeley (South) – presented 19 March
Rising Sun, Nether Green (West) – presentation on 31 March
Red Lion, Litton (District) – presentation on 18 April
Our March Pub of the month award winner was the Two & Six Micropub in Sheffield City Centre.
The certificate was presented to Juliet and Dan by our Beer Matters magazine editor Andy Cullen.
Almost all the beers on the bar were from local breweries as part of their Sheffield Beer Week celebrations and customers were treated to some lovely complimentary sandwiches too!
