New pub history course

Brian Holmshaw, a local history tutor, is running his Social History of Sheffield Pubs course for the Workers Education Association again in February. It is a six week course held on Mondays at a cost of £38.40 using images, maps and documents of the period to examine the origins, architecture and ownership of pubs and brewing in Sheffield, the impact of heavy industry on the way people drank and how pubs were used as public
spaces, including the development of the temperance movement.

This time the tuition will be online via Zoom. To book visit the WEA website or for more information about the course’s content you can contact Brian by emailing holmshawbrian@gmail.com.

A pint-sized social history

Discover the story of the how the Peak District ‘local’ made the journey from humble alehouse to modern public house and meet some of the regulars along the way, including lead miners, packhorse men and navvies, plus the odd highwayman and a fair sprinkling of ghosts.

The author Andrew McCloy lives in the Peak District and has written and
edited over 20 books covering subjects such as the Pennine Way, Roman Britain and the Peak District Boundary Walk. He is currently Chair of the Peak District National Park Authority.

Buy Peak District Pubs: A pint-sized social history online

Review coming soon!

Plough saga continues

The application to demolish the Plough goes to SCC Planning Committee on Tuesday 4 August. This is the latest twist in a saga which commenced when the previous owners, Enterprise Inns (Ei), decided to deliberately run-down their historically important asset before closure in 2015. Two years later, an application to turn the site into a branch of Sainsburys was refused. The pub company then refused to sell to a local Community Group and instead, sold to a property developer. They, in turn, have allowed the condition of the building to deteriorate: there has been no serious maintenance work. Ei and the subsequent owners, Spacepad UK, have simply left the pub to rot. Planning law places responsibility for the condition of the site with the current owner. By law, the building should have been maintained in a fit and proper condition for its current permitted use as a public house. The site deteriorated to such an extent that it became the subject of a Planning Enforcement enquiry regarding the unauthorised use of the site as a waste disposal facility and a storage site for unregistered vehicles. An Enforcement Notice was recommended. SCC should issue a requirement for the building, and site, to be reinstated to the condition it was in at the time of purchase from Ei. At that point, an independent report, commissioned by the Plough Community Benefit Society Ltd., demonstrated that, for the pub to reopen, no major building work was required and that internal refitting costs were manageable within a realistic business plan. The owners have failed to reinstate the property. Hence, the Council should exercise its power to compulsorily purchase in order to avoid further deterioration. The application to demolish the Plough does not provide any evidence to suggest that it is not viable as a public house. The developer states that no offers were received to lease the pub. This was because it was offered for a completely unrealistic rent of £50,000 pa. Average rents in this area are between £24,000 and £29,000. This planning application would see the Plough replaced by eight houses on the site, none of which would be affordable for local people. The Plough was rebuilt in 1929 and is an important example of an inter war public house which, according to Historic England, are ‘rare and overlooked buildings’. National planning policy recognises the importance of protecting historic assets and their ‘setting’. This was confirmed in the decision of the local authority to refuse the application from Sainsbury’s. The recent planning history of a site is also a relevant consideration in planning decisions. In 2017, the local authority rejected Sainsbury’s application for change of use based on the Plough’s listing as an ACV and it accepted that there were no alternative community facilities within a reasonable distance. In 2018, following the sale of the Plough, the local authority re-listed the pub as an ACV. As there have been no material changes in the reasons why the Plough was listed as an ACV, this should remain an overriding consideration in any decision. There are 214 public comments regarding this planning application: 205 are against the proposal. However, SCC Planning Officials are recommending that demolition goes ahead. If the Planning Committee accepts this recommendation, it sets a dangerous precedent: all a developer needs to do is allow a building to slowly fall-down, and, eventually, SCC will give permission to demolish. As previously stated we believe that the Plough should be functioning as a community pub, with the added attraction of its key place in the history of world football. A small internal museum would not be inappropriate. Dave Pickersgill

Friendship, Stocksbridge

In 1903, “Re-built, Re-furbished and up-to-date.“ By 2014, run-down and failing: purchased by new owners, a sensitive refurbishment and Regional Inventory listing followed. The latest chapter in the renovation is now in hand, planning permission for locally-needed hotel accommodation: nine en suite B&B rooms on the first floor. Historical elements such as the dumbwaiter and fireplaces will be kept and restored as sympathetically as possible. The planning application also mentions praise from CAMRA for the sympathetic restoration of the ground floor public house. We anticipate that this positive ethos will be continued as the owners develop the first floor. See the entry on the Heritage Pubs website. The Stocksbridge area is the new ‘go-to’ recreational cycling/walking area in the South Pennines. Stocksbridge hosted the finish of the cycling Tour de Yorkshire in 2017 and was voted second in the Ramblers ‘Britain’s best walking neighbourhood’ in 2018. Dave Pickersgill If you fancy a trip to Stocksbridge, various buses stop outside the Friendship including the 57 from Sheffield City Centre, SL1a from Middlewood tram terminus, 201 from Chapeltown and 23/23a from Barnsley. The pub has now reopened after the Coronavirus lockdown, more info on their Facebook page.

1936 Referendum

August 1936, Sheffield saw one of few local referendums regarding licenced premises. Tenants on each of the nine largest of the new council housing estates which were replacing inner-city slums were asked by Sheffield City Council (SCC) if they were ‘in favour of licensed premises being provided on the estates.’ Turnout was low. There seemed to be a view on the smaller estates that as licensed premises were relatively close, there was no point in voting. Of the 34,204 electorate, only 7,275 voted (21.3%). Woodthorpe had a 61% turnout, the next highest was 26% (Arbourthorne) with five estates having a turnout of less than 20%. In favour were Arbourthorne, Manor,  Shiregreen,  Woodthorpe and Wybourn with High Wincobank, Longley and Norwood, Stubbin and Brushes and Wisewood voting against. In 1938, SCC approved the granting of leases to six brewery companies for the building of public houses on municipal estates:  Arbourthorne, Manor, Parson Cross, Shiregreen, Woodthorpe and Wybourn, each on 99-year leases. Parson Cross was not involved in the 1936 ballot. The total building cost was given as £55,000. The six Sheffield breweries concerned were: Carter, Milner and Bird Ltd., Duncan Gilmour and Co.Ltd., William Stones Ltd., Tennant Bros. Ltd., Truswells Brewery Co.Ltd. and S.H.Ward and Co.Ltd. Construction, the responsibility of the brewery companies, commenced later in the year. Pubs involved included the Arbourthorne Hotel (closed ~2015), the Manor Hotel (1990), the Parson Cross Hotel (~2016) and the Shiregreen Hotel (2008). There have been other similar local referendum, over the question of whether buildings which had originally been built as coffee taverns (ie. pubs in all but the sale of alcohol) should become licensed premises. These include the Bridge Inn (Port Sunlight) where a 1903 vote saw over 80% voting for a liquor license and the Skittles Inn (Letchworth). Thanks to Andrew Davison, Thelma Griffiths, and Jamie Thompson for responding to my earlier request for further information. Dave Pickersgill

Pub on the estate?

In August 1936 Sheffield citizens who, as part of the slum clearance programme, were moving into the new Sheffield council estates were asked to take part in a referendum. They  were offered the opportunity to vote as to whether they wanted public houses to be built on their estate. In favour were: Arbourthorne, Manor,  Shiregreen,  Woodthorpe and Wybourn. Against were:  High Wincobank, Longley and Norwood, Stubbin and Brushes and Wisewood. We would be interested in any memories from this vote – please contact: pubheritage@sheffield.camra.org.uk

Sheffield Beer Week – Pub Heritage walks

As part of Sheffield Beer Week, we are leading three Pub Heritage walks: On Sunday 8th.March (14:00), we’ll be in the West Street area and on both Thursday 12th. (16:00) and Friday 13th (14:00), we’ll be on Kelham Island finishing with a tour at the Sheffield Brewing Company. All three walks will include Victorian tilework, terrazzo flooring, art deco glasswork, a mention of long-gone Sheffield Breweries and much more …. After the last two walks, Sheffield Brewing Company will be showing  a series of films: a collection of short dramas, humorous trade films, perceptive documentaries and archival newsreel items, together presenting a history of the British boozer. Full details and booking information is available: Sunday 8th.March: https://tinyurl.com/vp4d2gj Thursday 12th.March: https://tinyurl.com/raklr8t Friday 13th.March: https://tinyurl.com/rfeqtkb If you can’t wait until Sheffield Beer Week, you could try the third edition of the Sheffield Pub Heritage book:   https://sheffield.camra.org.uk/rhp/
  • Dave Pickersgill

Carbrook Hall

As you are probably aware, as a pub, the ACV-rated, Carbrook Hall closed in March 2017 and over two years later reopened as ‘Starbucks Carbrook Hall.’ Just before Christmas, I finally visited. The Jacobean wood panelling in the ‘Old Oak Room’ has been retained and is in good condition. However, the ceiling has received a heavy dose of white paint. On my previous visit, in April 2019 while renovations were taking place, the ceiling was exhibiting the distinctive colourful design which had been in place for years.

This heavy use of white paint is the heritage equivalent of taking white paint to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (1471/81). From 1508/12, Michelangelo painted the Renaissance frescoes on the ceiling. They remain to this day. The same should have happened to the paintwork on the ceiling of the Old Oak Room.

Suffice to say, that was my last ever visit to a Starbucks.

Dave Pickersgill

The Plough, Sandygate

As previously stated, we believe that the Plough should be functioning as a Community pub, with the added attraction of its key place in the history of world football. A small internal museum would not be inappropriate. However, the Plough continues to be under threat.

The planning saga commenced when the previous owners, Enterprise Inns (Ei), decided to deliberately run-down their historically important asset before closure in 2015. Since then, there has been no serious maintenance work. Ei and the subsequent owners, Spacepad Construction Ltd., have left the pub to rot. Planning law places responsibility for the condition of the site with the current owner. By law, the building should have been maintained in a fit and proper condition for its current permitted use as a public house.

The site has deteriorated to such an extent that some local residents claim it is an ‘eyesore.’ These concerns are currently the subject of a Planning Enforcement enquiry regarding the unauthorised use of the site as a waste disposal facility and a storage site for unregistered vehicles. An Enforcement Notice has been recommended. Sheffield CC should issue a requirement for the building, and site, to be reinstated to the condition it was in at the time of purchase from Ei. At that point, an independent report, commissioned by the Plough Community Benefit Society Ltd., demonstrated that, in order for the pub to reopen, no major building work was required and that internal refitting costs were manageable within a realistic business plan. If the owners fail to reinstate the property, the Council should exercise its power to compulsorily purchase in order to avoid further deterioration.

The additional material recently submitted to the planning application by the applicant is essentially a re-mix of previously submitted documents, including correspondence concerning the marketing of the Plough and the exorbitant, and unrealistic, rental valuation of £50,000 per annum. The additional material does not demonstrate continuous marketing of the Plough at a realistic valuation as required by widely agreed criteria such as CAMRA’s Viability Test.

The recent planning history of a site is also a relevant consideration in planning decisions. In 2017, the local authority rejected Sainsbury’s application for change of use based on the Plough’s listing as an ACV and it accepted that there were no alternative community facilities within a reasonable distance. In 2018, following the sale of the Plough, the local authority re-listed the pub as an ACV. As there have been no material changes in the reasons why the Plough was listed as an ACV, this should remain an overriding consideration in any decision.

The closing date for comments regarding the latest planning application is 28th.January 2020: www.sheffield.gov.uk/planning reference: 19/02130/FUL

The pub is adjacent to the ground of Hallam FC (the 2nd.oldest football club in the world). Hallam occupy Sandygate, the oldest football ground in the world, the site of the first football game (Hallam v Sheffield FC) as recognised by FIFA. The Plough should be allowed to return as both a community pub and a key player in the developing Sheffield Football History experience.

Dave Pickersgill, Pub Heritage Officer

“Heart of the City 2” and the Sportsman

Heart of the City2 is the large mixed-use development which is currently taking place in Sheffield City Centre. The scheme aims to provide quality office space, 4/5* hotels, flats, shops, food outlets and more (https://www.heartofcity2.com/). Included in this development is the Sportsman on Cambridge Street, S1 4HP. This pub is located in the area designated, ‘H1,’ a space in which some old buildings are to be retained. The Sportsman dates back to the mid C19th. and is close to the site of the recently demolished Athol Hotel. In the 1975 CAMRA National Good Beer Guide, it was described as, ‘one of the few pleasant and comfortable city-centre pubs selling real ale.’ Electric-pumped Tetley Bitter was the single choice. From 2014, the pub was run by Kelham Island Brewery, as the Tap and Tankard. It closed early in 2018 when surrounded by scaffolding as Heart of the City2 began to gather place. It is now ripe for a planned re-opening. To the rear is the Grade II* listed, ‘Leah’s Yard,’ one of the few remaining examples of the courtyard workshops characteristic of Sheffield. The Leah family after whom the yard is named carried out drop-stamping for the silverware trade. Ideally, we would like to see the Sportsman return to its old name as a traditional outlet. Such a departure would complement both its surroundings and other nearby food outlets. If anyone is aware of future plans for the pub, we would appreciate the detail. Dave Pickersgill – pubheritage@sheffield.camra.org.uk