Last month, after a major fitout and over 3 years planning, The Fargate finally opened. The joint venture between Thornbridge and Pivovar has been highly anticipated and didn’t disappoint when the crowds flocked in on opening day.
The dark wood interior gives the impression of a traditional pub, albeit a very stylish one, whilst the upstairs room features lighter colours to make the most of the light flooding through the large windows facing Fargate itself.
The central bar features 10 handpulls and 16 keg lines, with roughly a 50/50 split between Thornbridge beers and guests.
It’s certainly a great addition to the city’s main shopping street and with The Old Shoe and Head of Steam nearby, it seems a nice little city centre pub crawl is developing.
The Dove & Rainbow in Sheffield City Centre now hosts an open mic night on two Wednesdays each month, including 3 and 17 December. It is open to bands, solo acts, comedians, poets and really anything else deemed appropriate! The Dove (in its current guise) has also recently celebrated its 19th birthday!
The Railway at Wadsley Bridge launched a fortnightly blues jam night on Thursday 6 November with an 8:30pm start. In December dates are 4th and 18th.
The Old Queen’s Head in Sheffield City Centre (by the bus station) is offering a 10% discount off pints of cask ale for CAMRA members that produce their membership card at the time of ordering – check with the pub for terms & conditions.
The Three Tuns in Sheffield City Centre is also offering a discount on cask ale for CAMRA members – check with the pub for terms & conditions.
The Masons Arms in Crookes has reopened but is not serving real ale.
The Heeley Artisan bar has been closed for a refurbishment, the existing bar and kitchen have been ripped out and the venue reconfigured.
The Miners Arms in Dronfield Woodhouse has been running an early bar offer Monday to Thursday with £1 off a pint of cask ale 2pm to 5pm.
The Manor House Hotel on Dronfield High Street is under new ownership with Kevin Gage handing over the reigns to Isobel Ford (his step daughter) and Elliot Hill. They are bringing new energy, enthusiasm and ideas and building on what Kevin has achieved with the venue over the last 17 years. The relaunch party was held on Saturday 8 November from 6pm with live music, DJ and food.
The Blue Stoops in Dronfield reopened on 17 November after a major refurbishment.
A long established December tradition in some areas including north Sheffield and the Peak District is for brass bands and choirs to tour pubs for Christmas carol concerts, sometimes with pub customers invited to join in the carol singing.
The Unite Brass Band are holding an annual Christmas concert at the Gardeners Rest in Neepsend on Thursday 11 December from 8pm whilst Stannington Brass Band are doing a full “Pub Carols” tour around the city from 3 December onwards. Venues include the Waggon & Horses (Millhouses), Riverside Kelham, Crown & Glove (Stannington), Broadfield, Punchbowl (Crookes), Rose & Crown (Stannington), Bulls Head (Ranmoor), The Ball (Crookes) and Dog & Partridge (Sheffield Centre). They also have a ticketed event at Grafters Bar in Neepsend.
Tideswell band have a number of Christmas concerts planned, including some carol events in pubs – the George Inn, Tideswell, on 19 December; Anchor, Tideswell, on 21 December and the Old Hall Hotel in Hope on 22 December.
The balloons were out recently as No. 3 on Sharrow Vale Road celebrated its first birthday. This welcoming micro-pub is operated by Loxley Brewery – the name comes from the fact that it is the 3rd outlet to be opened by them, not the address. Three hand-pumps feature an ever-changing range of Loxley beers, complemented by 7 guest kegs. The unique bar top is something special.
On the (busy!) night, all customers were treated to a free drink, and a buffet was laid on. The ‘Artisan Tiramusu Boutique’ over the road had closed, so we tucked into pastry-encased delicacies and bread’n’dripping. Lovely. Thanks to all for the hospitality, and here’s to number two, No. 3!
A change of management has taken place at the Foresters on Division Street in Sheffield City Centre (although regulars will recognise the new landlord!) and the pub will be temporarily closed for a short period in November for a bar refit. Plans include an increased cask ale range and the return of late night opening.
The Dog & Partridge in Sheffield City Centre is hosting another “Dogfest” (their sixth) on the 29 November with lots of music going on! In other news they are now serving food on Sundays.
A number of venues around Sheffield that feature live music have teamed up to form the Sheffield Independent Venue Alliance (SIVA) with a principle of collaboration making the grassroots scene stronger and more viable. A map is available showing all the venues which includes the Washington, Hallamshire Hotel, Sidney & Matilda, Alder, Crookes Social Club, Hagglers Corner, Dryad Works, Yellow Arch Studios, Forge Warehouse, Gut Level, Cafe No9, Southbank Warehouse, Delicious Clam, Panke Bar and Plot 22.
The Rambler Inn at Edale held a relaunch party to celebrate Jo and Chris taking the reigns as managers. Canapes, live music and a quiz featured on the night whilst on the bar were cask ales from Torrside, Abbeydale, Timothy Taylors and Theakston.
Batemans brewery are looking for new tenants to take on the lease of the Ladybower Inn near Bamford. They held a recruitment open day on 20 October.
The Angler’s Rest in Millers Dale, near Buxton, has introduced a Winter Warmer menu offering two course for £15. Included in the offer is a choice of 4 main course dishes and 4 dessert options. This is available Monday to Thursday 12-2 and 6-8pm.
The Anglers Rest at Bamford will be taking an outside bar to the Bamford Christmas market held at Thornhill Recreation Ground on Saturday 15 November. This is a community event that is raising funs for Bamford Play Park. There will be local makers selling their wares, Sunshine Pizza will have their oven fired up plus there will be stalls doing pie & peas and tea & cake. For the kids there will be a bouncy castle and a hook a duck stall will also be present! Running alongside the market will be two fell races including the Beast of Bamford!
The Scotsman’s Pack in Hathersage now offers a 15% discount on food for Blue Light card holders Monday to Thursday.
The George in Hathersage will be offering festive afternoon teas from 28 November and also has a loyalty card for those that drink coffee there. Being a venue owned by Longbow it also saw the pub represented in the company’s Young Chef of the Year competition!
The Plough Inn at Leadmill Bridge near Hathersage is hosting a wreath making workshop on 18 November.
The Miners Arms in Dronfield Woodhouse has had a change of management and a launch party took place on Saturday 18 October.
The Hyde Park Inn at Dronfield Hill Top has had a short period of closure after Tom and Vee retired from the pub trade at the end of August. The pub is owned by Stonegate pubco and leased out to independent operators and is due to reopen under the new management of Lee and Zoe on 24 October with a launch party featuring a cheesy karaoke disco and finger buffet!
The Coach & Horses in Dronfield, which is owned by Sheffield FC but had been leased to Thornbridge Brewery to operate, has seen the lease end and the football club take on the running themselves. Initially it will only open on matchdays. However coinciding with the C&H closing as a full time pub, the Dronfield Arms have announced a permanent Thornbridge cask line on their bar!
The Manor House Hotel bar on Dronfield High Street are now doing afternoon teas, Sunday lunches, bottomless brunches and cheese boards. Live music is also expected to take place on some Saturday afternoons.
The Winter Green in Waverley closed for refurbishment on 20 October and reopens on 12 November.
Thornbridge & Co (a joint venture between Thornbride Brewery and Pivovar that has already seen success with the Market Cat in York, Bankers Cat in Leeds and The Colmore in Birmingham) are delighted to announce the launch of their flagship new bar, The Fargate, opening in one of Sheffield’s most prominent city centre locations. Doors will officially open at midday on the 22nd of October.
The new venue brings together the storied elegance of the former Yorkshire Bank (previously the Yorkshire Penny Savings Bank) with a carefully designed pub interior created to feel timeless. Dark polished wood, elegant leather seating, herringbone floors, brass accents, chandeliers and curated artwork create the impression of a bar that could have stood here for over a century.
At its heart is a striking horseshoe bar serving 10 cask ales, half of them Thornbridge, as well as 16 draft beer lines. The ground floor also features screened booths, a snug, banquette seating, and full-height glazing to the front, offering a light and inviting space.
A spiral staircase leads to the first floor, where a different atmosphere awaits. Here, a pizza kitchen with an impressive Italian corner oven takes centre stage, visible through glazed screens. The design combines reclaimed timber walls, decorated ceilings, and original architectural details to create a brighter, more contemporary setting. Seating includes both leather banquettes and informal benches, ideal for larger groups. With views across Fargate and towards Sheffield’s City Hall, it promises to be a unique spot to enjoy a pizza and a pint while people-watching in the heart of the city.
Jamie Hawksworth, Thornbridge & Co Director and Pivovar Co-President, said:
“The Fargate is on track to become a defining feature of Sheffield’s pub scene, thanks to a large investment in its unique design. We’re delighted to help shape the vibrant new era of the City Centre.”
Simon Webster, CEO and Co-Founder of Thornbridge, continued:
“We’re eager to open our doors to the people of Sheffield and contribute to the continued growth and character of the area.”
Crosspool Social is a vibrant community cafe on Sandygate Road, Crosspool.
With great coffee and cake by day, from the 9th of October they will be opening every Thursday and Friday night, 6pm till 10.30pm, to sell beers from a number of local breweries. Wines, spirits and soft drinks are also available.
A Lindr unit has been installed to serve 2 keg beers and on the opening night they were Mesters Rouge, a 5.5% Red IPA and Hollis, a 3.8% IPA, both from Little Mesters.
A well-stocked fridge has a range of beers from other breweries including Thornbridge. It was a well attended launch, and the cafe/bar combination will no doubt prove to be a great success in the area.
We have many breweries in our area and a number of them offer the opportunity of drinking the beer at source. Some of them are attached to a regularly open bar whilst others run special tap events on certain days.
This wonderfully restored bar at Sheffield railway station is also home to the Tapped Brew Co with the brewery located in one of the drinking rooms behind a glass screen, so on a brew day you can sit and watch the brewer at work! The bar is open 7 days a week serving their own beers plus guests.
GETTING THERE – tram or train to Sheffield Station, various buses to Sheffield Interchange
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Rutland Arms, Old Queens Head
If you aren’t tempted to base yourself in the extensive outdoor drinking area you walk through to get to the front door, almost all the indoor tables are on the other side of a glass screen from the brewery. The bar features a huge range of beer brewed on site, the majority of their beers are hoppy pale ales or European style lagers but not exclusively so and all are of great quality and also mostly gluten free too. You’ll find this venue on Shoreham Street, on the edge of Sheffield City Centre.
GETTING THERE – Buses 1, 24, 25, 47, 48 and 51 stop close by or it is walkable from Granville Road tram stop (Blue or Purple route).
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Rutland Arms, Lord Nelson
FUGGLE BUNNY BREWHOUSE
Fuggle Bunny Brew House is located on an industrial estate a short walk from Halfway tram and bus terminus and brews a range of mostly traditional real ales along with the occasional special on cask or keg. The beer names are themed on telling a story and the pump clips are designed like book marks. A bar is opened in the brewery once a week, on Fridays, with a selection of their beers available. The “Fuggle Friday” tap sessions do have the vibe of a local community pub with folks that live nearby walking their dog down their for a beer and chat! During the summer months they also have a monthly Saturday tap event with live music and a food trader, keep an eye on their Facebook page for those being advertised – the last one of this year is an Oktoberfest event on 27 September.
GETTING THERE – Blue route tram, buses 26, 26a, 53a, 74, 120, 120k
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Guzzle, Belfry, Scarsdale Hundred (Wetherspoon), Craftworks
LOXLEY
Loxley Brewery is located at the Wisewood Inn where you can enjoy a range of their beers and food is served too. There is a beer garden at the rear and some lovely scenery! The pub also hosts a beer festival every June in a marquee outside.
GETTING THERE – bus 52a, 61, 62
TOOLMAKERS
Tookmakers brewery, off Rutland Road in Neepsend, brews a selection of traditional cask ales in small batches to supply their pub, the Forest, which is next door. They also have a seperate brewery tap room across the yard from the brewhouse which hosts events including live music and comedy shows.
GETTING THERE – bus 7, 8
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Gardeners Rest, Neepsend Social
DEAD PARROT
This could be described by some as something of a Frankenstein’s monster, assembled from the parts of two former breweries – Aardvark and Frog & Parrot. The brewery tap bar is Perch, located on Garden Street on the edge of Sheffield City Centre (near Fagans and Butlers Balti!) with the brewery in the building behind. At present their beers are brewed in small batches to supply the handpumps in their own bar and occasionally beer festivals. The bar also serves very good quality burgers and pizzas.
This is a modern craft beer tap room with in house brewery. There has been a change of ownership after which brewing was suspended but that is due to resume any time now. The venue is on Neepsend Lane, next door to the Gardeners Rest.
Chantry are based in Parkgate, Rotherham, a short walk from the Tram Train terminus. They mostly brew simple session ales – traditional bitter, pales and blondes, however do also produce a stout, special reserve and lagers along with specials. Part of the brewery building, which is two neighbouring industrial units, doubles up as a live music venue with a programme of gigs booked for many Fridays and Saturdays through the year. The stage is on the ground floor and the bar is upstairs on a mezzanine level with a range of their beers at reasonable prices.
GETTING THERE – Tram Train or various buses from Rotherham Interchange
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Little Haven
TEMPER BREWING
Temper is a small batch independent brewer that leases the set up underneath the Dronfield Arms pub, supplying the bar upstairs and sometimes other connected pubs including the Joiners Arms in Bakewell and the two Sheffield Beer House venues. The Beer Stop (craft beer shop) nearby is owned by the brewer but doesn’t usually stock Temper beer.
GETTING THERE – walkable from Dronfield railway station or bus 44 stops close to the pub.
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Underdog, White Swan, Pioneer Club.
This brewery is unusual in that it’s owned by the community, staffed mostly by volunteers and profits go to local good causes. The beer range is mostly traditional cask ales with pales, blondes, bitters, stout and porter although occasional brews include a black IPA and a Scottish Export Ale. The brewery itself is in an industrial unit in Unstone with the tap room located in a tent next door, this opens every weekend on Friday, Saturday and Monday plus some special ticketed events are hosted there on a Sunday from time to time.
GETTING THERE – bus 43 or 44
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – various pubs in Dronfield town centre are a short bus ride away.
The brewery started its life as a small kit in a brick shed in the grounds of Thornbridge Hall but is now spread across multiple industrial units on an estate in Bakewell! One of the units has modern kit brewing beer like Jaipur IPA in large volumes and also hosts a bottling plant whilst a second unit is home to the smaller, traditional kit where the small batch seasonal cask ales are produced along with barrel aged beers. This unit is also home to their huge tap room where a range of their beers is available to try along with pizzas. You can also book a “Thornbridge Experience” where you get a talk about the brewery and a number of different beers to taste.
GETTING THERE – a short walk from Bakewell town centre where buses 218 and 257 will drop you from Sheffield, alternatively buses 173 and Transpeak stop at the end of the drive.
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – various in Bakewell town centre including the Joiners Arms micropub.
INTREPID
a part time operation located in the Peak District hamlet of Brough. A number of regular beers including pale ales and a stout are produced and the brewer regularly works on something “more interesting”. An open day is hosted at the brewery twice a year in the summer when a pop up bar is opened in the brewery with a pizza stall, seating and music outside in the yard.
GETTING THERE – bus 173 or 272
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – various in Bradwell and Hope
EYAM BREWERY
The name of this Peak District brewery is slightly misleading as when they upgraded to bigger kit they relocated away from Eyam to the nearby village of Great Hucklow. The beer names do still retain the same theme though, which plays on the historical reputation of Eyam as the plague village! It is located in a beautiful rural location with views of hills and fields! They host three open days a year when they open a pop up bar and shop in the brewery with seating and a street food trader.
GETTING THERE – bus 65 or 173
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Queen Anne
ACORN BREWERY
Acorn are best known for their Barnsley Bitter but do produce a varied range. They run a beer club scheme which gets you access to their monthly ticket only tap events.
GETTING THERE – walkable from Wombwell railway station
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS –
RESTING DEVIL
This brewery is located in the former function room at the Chesterfield Arms pub, located close to Chesterfield town centre.
GETTING THERE – buses 44, 44 or X17
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – Neptune, various town centre pubs.
BRAMPTON BREWERY
Located in an industrial yard just off the end of Chesterfield’s famous “Brampton Mile” pub crawl producing a range of traditional ales. They have a tap pub – Tramway Tavern – on the main road near the brewery, however there is also a bar in the brewery itself where you can get beer when booked on a brewery tour or attending an open day.
GETTING THERE – various buses from Chesterfield town centre
NEARBY REAL ALE PUBS – numerous on and near Chatsworth Road including the Rose & Crown, Chesterfield CAMRA’s Pub of the Year award winner.
The Brothers Arms hold their Oktoberfest party on Saturday 4 October with live music from 2pm onwards, concluding with a DJ set by Tink & Annala. Bratwursts from Worrall Foods will be available too.
The Green Room in Sheffield City Centre now once again has cask ale on the bar after a long spell with no craft beer of any description. On the newly installed handpump is Abbeydale Moonshine and they now also have a couple of Abbeydale beers on the keg taps too. The bar has an open mic night on Mondays, DJs at the weekend and a back room filled with retro video games!
The JD Wetherspoons chain hold one of their regular real ale festivals from 1 to 12 October which involves a number of international collaborations. At the Rawson Spring in Hillsborough they are hosting a special preview day on 30 September with beer tastings, festival ales at just £2.15 a pint and a special 20% discount on food for CAMRA members that day. You can download a copy of the festival beer list from their website or pick up a printed copy in their pubs.
The Canary, Waverley – photo by Richard Allen
A new bar called the Canary opened on the Waverley estate on 12 September. It’s located at Olive Lane, the new shopping area. It has 3 cask ales on handpump along with a number of other craft beers on tap.
The Canary, Waverley, opening night! photo – Stuart Mathers
As usual for the time of year, a number of venues are hosting German themed Oktoberfest celebrations. This includes the Red Lion in Litton 26-27 September, Triple Point Brewing in Sheffield City Centre 3-4 October, Oxbow in Woodhouse Mill 20 September, The Beer Stop in Dronfield 25 September and the Broadfield from 20 September to 5 October.
The Sheaf View in Heeley are holding their annual Winter Ales festival 21-23 November.
There is a proposal to adapt a cafe in Greenhill to operate as a micropub in the evening. Sara’s Kitchen would morph into the “Greenhill Tap” come the evening, however the licence application has attracted a number of objections from local residents worried about noise and disturbance.
The Bath Hotel hosted a Titanic Brewery tap takeover on 12 September.
The King & Miller in Deepcar reopened following refurbishment on 22 August. The pub is run by Bradfield Brewery.
Abbeydale Ballroom, located in the basement of the old Abbeydale Picture House (previously known as Picture House Social) is being refurbished by True North and is due to open on 2 October. It is billed as offering cocktails, food, pool, live sport and a late night buzz.
Shakespeares Ale & Cider House hosted a Duration Brewery tap takeover on 13 September as part of their Ducks in a Row beer launch.
The Angel Inn in Holmesfield is now back open and serving food.
The Manor House Hotel bar in Dronfield has increased their food offering beyond breakfasts and cakes and is now doing bottomless brunches and Sunday lunches.
The Broomhill Tavern is hosting a Timothy Taylors tap takeover 25-28 September.
The Grouse at Longshaw reopened on 12 September following a period of temporary closure caused by issues with their water supply.
The Washington in Sheffield City Centre is one of the venues for Float Along Festival on 27 September and also as ever continues with their programme of free entry gigs. Upcoming events advertised so far inculdes Slackr and Hunchpower on 30 October, providing an evening of pop punk. The pub stays open until 3am every night (2am on Sunday nights) with a rotating roster of DJs keeping the dance floor going!
Jo Doyle, currently assistant manager at the Old Nag’s Head in Edale, is moving down the hill with husband Chris to run the Rambler Inn, which is under the same ownership. There will be some changes to the cask ale range with Abbeydale Deception introduced as a regular gluten free option alongside Timothy Taylors Landlord, Theakston Kinder Downfall (XB rebadged for the Edale area!) and rotating local guest beers. A traditional cider will also continue to be available. Occasional special events are planned such as whisky tastings, a monthly pub quiz and a summer beer festival in the garden. The Rambler is conveniently located right next to the railway station.
Sheffield is often described as the real ale capital of the UK, with over 400 pubs offering hand-pulled cask real ale in our area. However, it would be remiss to not give credit to the other venues that offer other serving styles of real ale, for off- and on-consumption. With varying opening hours and demand, it’s not always possible for some venues to offer a permanent cask option – there is a risk of wastage, or offering a sub-standard product if demand fluctuates. However, many venues do provide other options from real ale brewers, including bottle conditioned beers. In fact, there are too many to include them all here, so keep an eye out for a second article soon!
Craft & Berry is an Ecclesall Road taproom and bottle shop. They have 6 taps of keg beer, and hundreds of cans and bottles of craft beer – many from local breweries. They also have a good range of bottled real ale from breweries including Bradfield, Acorn, Welbeck Abbey and Peak Ales. The shop is also home to a Gin Emporium with over 80 different spirits (both local and national), and holds regular beer or spirit tasting events. Earlier this year owner Mark worked with neighbours to host the second weekend-long Ecclesall Road beer festival, and there will be a third in October.
Not too far away on London Road is Turner’s Bottle & Tap. They offer bottles from Bradfield, Peak, and Thornbridge, and have fridges and shelves stocked with a huge range of craft beers from predominantly UK breweries. They also have 8 keg lines available. Turners is part of the now annual Abbeydale Road Beer Festival, which has just celebrated its fourth year.
The Dram Shop in Walkley is one of the older independent off licenses in the city offering bottle conditioned beers, though owner Tony mentions that the number of these on offer is dwindling as more brewers embrace canning lines. Tony took on the Dram Shop in 2005, and stocks bottled beers from Durham, Welbeck Abbey, and Loxley alongside a huge wine, spirit, Belgian, German and craft beer selection.
More centrally (puns fully intended) is Beer Central, located in the Moor Market. As an off license they have no taps, but pack a large range of beer into a small space, with bottled beers often seen from Samuel Smith, Drone Valley and Titanic. They also have a wide European selection alongside craft beer offerings. During Sheffield Beer Week they ran ticketed tasting and food pairing events in the small event space in the Moor Market.
