Category: Awards

Regional pub awards

Posted on by Andy Cullen

CAMRA run a national Pub of the Year and Club of the Year competition, this begins with each local branch putting forward an entry into the county competition of which the winners go on to be judged in the national competition.

We entered two pubs – the Kelham Island Tavern went into the Yorkshire judging and the Old Hall Hotel into the North Derbyshire judging. Unfortunately neither were successful beaten by some rather stiff competition in the wider region!

Here are the winners:

EAST MIDLANDS PUB OF THE YEAR – The Burnt Pig, Ilkeston

EAST MIDLANDS CLUB OF THE YEAR – The Royal British Legion Club, Parwich

YORKSHIRE PUB OF THE YEAR – The Beer Engine, Skipton

YORKSHIRE CLUB OF THE YEAR – Wortley Men’s Club, Wortley

Pub of the Month August 2025

Posted on by Dan Rowe

The Harlequin, a pub with a history dating back to 1845, is located on Nursery Street in Sheffield, in the Kelham Island area of our branch. 

The pub has a large open-plan interior with a central bar, and seating across two levels. Historically, it was known as the Manchester Railway Hotel before, and in 2006 was renamed The Harlequin after a now-demolished Ward’s pub around the corner.

After closing in early 2024 it reopened In late July the same year under the ownership of Chris Bamford and Kate Major, who also run The Rutland Arms and The Crow Inn in Sheffield. A high quality renovation was completed prior to the reopening, which included interior and exterior updates, including a new green and red frontage to match the Harlequin character on the signage. The interior decor incorporates photos of Sheffield and the pub’s history. A brand new addition for summer 2025 is a pair of long benches on the pavement to the front of the pub, so with its rear courtyard the pub now offers two external seating areas. There is an upstairs room which can be used for private events.

The beer selection under the new management includes seven cask beers and three cask ciders, in addition to 12 keg lines and two keg ciders. The cask ale range typically features Kirkstall Bitter alongside a varied range of guests – Kernel, North Riding, Torrside and Big Trip are regularly seen. There is also a huge range of spirits, local mead, and a fridge full of cans and bottles of craft beer and cider.

There are regular live music nights which you can find advertised on the pub’s social media, and a quiz every Wednesday night at 8.30pm. 

Shortly after reopening the Harlequin introduced food at lunchtimes and evenings. There is a lunch menu of sandwiches, an all day menu including chip butties, burgers, fish and chips and vegan curries, and often specials available.

We are presenting Ethan, Lizzie, Chris, Oly, Isra and Theo with their award on 12 August at 8pm – join us there for a beer or two!

GETTING THERE: buses 7, 8/8a and 75/75a stop pretty much outside the pub.

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 Ellett 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.