Category: Inn Brief

The new Manager at the  Wharncliffe Arms, Wharncliffe Side is Dave Briggs. Dave has previously worked at the Royal Standard and the Arms.  Currently three Bradfield Beers are available, with the intention of both increasing the range and adding a basic food menu. Folk Night is monthly, on the fourth Wednesday. A Hungry Horse (Greene King) pub, ‘ The Hardy Pick,’ opened in early February. It is situated at Broadfields Business Park, Broadfield Road. Local Sheffield CAMRA members, Dave Pickersgill and John Stocks are giving an illustrated talk, ‘The Worksop and Retford Brewery,’ at The Station Hotel, Worksop on Thursday 26th.March 2015 (7:30 pm start). This talk is supported by the Worksop Archaeological and Local History Society. The Ball at Crookes now has a range of up to 14 real ales, a mix of Greene King house beers and interesting local guest ales. Pete from the Tapped Brew Company, based at the Sheffield Tap, recently took a trip down to Worcestershire to visit hop suppliers with a few of signing a contract to be supplied with new English hop varieties for their beers. The next up and coming real ale circuit in Sheffield may well be London Road if the current developments are a success. Long established is the Cremorne, we also now have real ale available at the Crown and the Albion, the latter having reopened as a freehouse under its old name after sadly not lasting as the Bell Jar. Next to reopen is what was latterly Delaney’s music bar on Cemetery Road, this pub is to revert to it’s previous name of the Beer Engine and feature 5 guest ales and a real cider. JD Wetherspoon has applied for a licence for a potential new pub in Meadowhall. Dada bar on Trippet Lane has closed down after Thornbridge were given an offer they couldn’t refuse to sell the premises. It is to remain a bar, however no more is known about the intentions of the new owner. The Rutland Arms on Brown Street, Sheffield Centre, is hosting a Siren Brewery Tap Takeover on 18th March from 6:30pm and will incorporate a meet-the-brewer session. 4 cask beers from Siren will be available on the bar to try alongside some keg and bottled offerings with at least 7 Siren beers available that haven’t previously been served at the Rutland. Wood Street Brewery at the Hillsborough Hotel are being kept busy hosting brewery tour inclusive social packages booked via Living Social. Their Christmas special, Old Mans’s beard, sold very well and was being brewed weekly. A number of previously popular specials such as that are being considered for another run. Dronfield Brewery Co have made their popular Dronfield Pale Ale, 4.3%, a regular beer and another batch has been brewed.

The Harlequin on Nursery Street will be hosting a gin tasting event in February and with over 35 different varieties always on sale the event is sure to be gintastic!  For details please phone the pub on 0114 275 8195 or check http://theharlequinpub.wordpress.com. Also don’t forget that for you real cider lovers there’s always at least 12 ciders stocked all year round. The Miners Arms on Warren Lane, Chapeltown, has recently been bought by a consortium of local residents and is now a free house. Caroline and Julian who had a long association with the pub have returned as landlords. Currently there are 2 real ales on hand pull and food should reappear by the end of February. Reet Ale Pubs will be celebrating 2 years of running the Closed Shop on Commonside on the 11th of February with bit of a party.  Expect a build a butty buffet, cake, a Christie’s quiz special, Blue Bee special beer and much fun and games, alongside the usual selection of great ales and atmosphere. Bus 95 stops close to the pub on a regular basis! A couple of new quiz nights recently started in our area – Tuesday nights at the Dronfield Arms and Wednesday night at the Beer House on Ecclesall Road. Legends Sports Bar at Hillsborough has had a bit of a makeover and an improved beer range introduced along with a change of name – it is now the Hillsborough Tap & Kitchen. Sheffield Heeley MP Meg Munn recently visited the New Inn on Hemsworth Road following a £110,000 refurbishment scheme overseen by licensees Clive and Andrea Fletcher and owners Punch Taverns. The work saw major changes take place both inside and outside, including a new seating plan, a new bar and a new beer garden. The Friendship on Manchester Road in Stocksbridge reopened on 19th.December with ‘real ales at reasonable prices,’ ‘log burning fire’ and an aim to ‘return the pub to its Edwardian glory.’ Currently available are two Bradfield beers at £2.20/pint. Buses 57 and SL stop nearby. The Albion on London Road, which for a time recently was known as the Bell Jar, has reopened as a simple, traditional free house pub with a range of cask beers, mostly so far from Abbeydale Brewery. Anchorage, the smart American inspired bar and restaurant on West One Plaza, have expanded their range of craft beers to include a couple of quality cask beers, one of which is usually sourced locally from Skys Edge Brewery. There are some new tenants running the Castle Inn in Bolsterstone –  Tracy and John Raynor have moved there from the King and Miller at Deepcar. Meanwhile at another Castle Inn that closed and reopened – the one at Bradway – Craig and Marie continue to run a great local pub on behalf of Tandem Leisure on a use it or lose it basis. Three real ales are always available, all sourced from Yorkshire and the East Midlands and food is available at meal times too (generally 12-2pm and 5-8pm but not on Mondays). The Anglers Rest in Bamford is holding a beer festival on Sunday 22nd February featuring a range of 10 beers, half of which will be from the local Intrepid Brewing Co. The Sheffield Tap celebrated the 2nd birthday of the Tapped Brewing Company with a week of special events in the bar at the end of January. The Rawson Spring in Hillsborough has been named by the Sheffield Star newspaper as their ‘best bar of the year’. The Rawson Spring is a Wetherspoons pub with their usual offering of reasonable priced real ales and all day food menu, it has also recently benefited from an upgraded outdoor drinking area. The building is a former swimming baths, located at the tram stop.

A new beer venue is to open in Dronfield in early December on Callywhite Lane, behind the Post Office called the Beer Stop at Dronfield. This could be described as a micro-pub, it will basically be a bottled beer shop with a couple of cask ales available with an option to drink on the premises. The venue is on bus routes 44/44A and just around the corner from the railway station. It is also close to the Dronfield Arms and White Swan. Christy Beardshaw has left the Blake and moved to the Wisewood Inn. Real Ale is available here again. The Punchbowl at Gleadless is closed for 1 month. They have applied for a license extension to open at 7am, and open until 1am Friday/Saturday. The Olive Grove is now a shop. The Bell Jar and Delaneys are both closed and to lease. The Royal Standard now has a third handpump on the bar resulting in an increased beer choice here. The Rutland Arms on Brown Street are holding their annual Christmas Lights party on Thursday 4th December with a Magic Rock tap takeover included as one of the attractions. After 2 successful years, Dronfield Arms Landlord Daniel is moving on to pastures new. Owner Chris Sinclair is delighted to announce that Edd Entwhistle, currently Manager at The Bath Hotel in Sheffield, will take over in December! The Cross Scythes on Derbyshire Lane, Norton Lees, has lots planned for the Christmas period kicking off with family fun on Sunday 14th December, Christmas Carols on the 17th, brass band on the 20th, quiz on the 22nd and 29th and finally a New Years Eve party on the 31st with a vintage vinyl disco. SIBA have announced their annual BeerX will be back in Sheffield for 2015, this encompasses their annual conference, trade show, beer awards and a beer festival open to the public. The venue is Ice Sheffield, which is located next to the Arena/Don Valley tram stop. The beer festival is open 20th and 21st March. See www.beerx.org. Another festival confirmed as back for 2015 is the Three Valleys Festival, featuring multiple venues around Dronfield and the surrounding villages all with beer festivals and many with food and music, linked by a free bus service that also picks up at Dronfield railway station. The date for your diary is Saturday 6th June. Keep an eye on www.threevalleysfestival.org.uk. The Three Tuns on Silver Street Head (Paradise Square) are now open on Sundays serving Sunday dinners 12pm to 6pm, as from 23rd November. They celebrated their first Sunday service by offering a free pint with every meal!

The White Hart at Bradwell is now under the management of Hawthorne Leisure and landlord James Bacon. The beer range includes Tetley Bitter, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Wells Bombardier Bitter and a guest ale. Terry and Helen Bedford are now running the Sir William in Grindleford The Star in Tideswell is now run by Tim and Amy McVey. The Red Lion in Litton has a new landlady, Julie Tom is leaving the Anvil, Stannington at the end of the month The Shakey in Hillsborough now has real ale The Castle Inn at Bradway has now had work completed to replace the bar’s pipework, something managers Craig and Marie were keen to see done, as a result the temperature the real ale is being served at is more consistent. Although we had no reports of quality issues before, this is of course good news! A regularly changing range of 3 real ales are available and a discount is offered to CAMRA members. Recently featured have been a couple of green hopped beers, one from Abbeydale and one from Ossett. Rotherham CAMRA’s New York beer festival has been postponed due to an U19 football match subsequently being arranged at the stadium the same weekend. The new dates for the festival are 8th to 10th January. Check their website for the latest information. It is reported that the Sportsman on Cambridge Street has closed as a rock pub with the management moving around the corner to the former Yorkshireman pub (more recently known as Lions Lair).

The Rugby Club at Stocksbridge now has 3 handpumps on the bar with Bradfield Farmers Blonde always available along with a second Bradfield beer on rotation. The third handpump has a Mansfield beer on from Marstons.

The Tickled Trout, Barlow is the latest of our local pubs offering CAMRA discounts. Fot the record, these are: Miners @ Hundall Travellers Rest @ Apperknowle Coach and Horses Talbot Arms Jolly Farmer

A recent planning application to Sheffield Council is a proposed ‘micro-pub’ to replace a former e-cigarette store at 623 Ecclesall Road (near Hunters Bar). The applicants say the concept is ‘keep it small, keep it simple’, with a limited range of real ales, ciders, soft drinks, wine, tea and coffee. If the planning application is approved, there will be no keg beer, no hot food, no amplified music, no TVs and no electronic games. The emphasis will be on “convivial conversation,” say John Harrison and Chris Sinclair in their submission. The pub would be open until 11 pm seven days a week, the application stating that: “the presence of loud and badly behaved persons is counterproductive to attracting the target patronage and their presence would be actively discouraged.” Bedford brewery Wells & Young’s is to revert to its former name of Charles Wells. Wells & Young’s was created in 2006 with the closure of Young’s brewery in Wandsworth, London, and the merger of production with Charles Wells. Young’s has since withdrawn from the partnership to focus on pubs and the business is now entirely owned by Charles Wells, hence the reversion to the company’s previous name. Wells will continue to supply Young’s beers to its former partner. Ten years ago, in August 2004, Kelham Island Pale Rider became Champion Beer of Britain (CBoB) at CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival. Twenty years ago, the winner was also from Yorkshire, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord was CBoB for the third time. This year, again from Yorkshire, Timothy Taylor’s Boltmaker. Who’s up for 2024? Pop up German bar – Das Fat Cat @ 23b alma street.  The Fat Cat will again be holding a small German beer festival starting from the 2^nd of October , with a bit of live music and a bbq on Saturday night . A ‘Hop Forward’ beer festival is to be held at the Bath Hotel on Victoria Street (off Glossop Road, a short walk from West Street or University tram stops) from 2nd to 5th October. Wetherspoons next beer festival is to be held from 17th October to 2nd November.

Maurice Champeau  is the new manager at the Crookes Social Club, some will know him from his days as bar manager at the Hearty Oak in Dronfield Woodhouse. Plans are afoot to improve the real ale range at the club, more next month! The Tickled Trout in Barlow reopened after extensive refurbishment on August 5th.  Owners Derek and Chris Mapp, together with their management team of Margaret Robbin, Tom Schofield and Lauren White welcome all customers, both old and new, to the much improved premises. Four real ales are available on handpump. Regular is Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. there will be three guest beers at all times. At the reopening these were Oldershaw Heavenly Blonde (an excellent sample was enjoyed), Abbeydale Moonshine and Welbeck Abbey Portland Black.  Quality food is served daily (pub closed Mondays). The Bowhsaw Inn (Toby Carvery) at Bowshaw roundabout near Dronfield reopened after refurbishment in mid-July. A planning application to replace the car park in front of the Robin Hood pub in Millhouses with an outdoor space have been rejected by Sheffield Council Planning Committee. The planning application was  to pave the area and install a heated ‘jumbrella.’ Almost 30 residents objected as they feared the move would force customers to use already limited parking nearby, affecting them and local traders. Following an hour-long debate Councillors voted 10-2 against the plans, despite a recommendation to approve being made by council officers. They also decided to add extra weight to a planning condition from alterations approved in 2001, which said parking facilities must be retained. 30 years ago, in July 1984, Theakston’s brewery was sold to Matthew Brown of Blackburn. MB were later taken over by Scottish and Newcastle. To-day Theakston’s is independent again. Sheffield band, the Everly Pregnant Brothers have taken on The Shakespeare at Heeley.  It  will soon become The Brothers’ Arms. The six-piece Sheffield band is leasing the building from pubco Punch Taverns, who will carry out a refurbishment. The Brothers’ Arms will be free of any tie to a specific brewery. A planning application has been submitted for a residential development on the site of the currently closed Fleur de Lys pub in Totley. The current building was built on the site of previous pubs in 1933 – ‘Mock Tudor’  style – a popular 1930’s style for both houses and pubs. Possible sources of the Fleur de Lys name are: (i) the heraldic iris on the coat of arms of the Barker family who lived at Totley Hall OR ii) the arms of King Edward III who was King of both England and France. Angel at Spinkhill update – to confirm: all monies are now in place from both community offered loans and the principal investor group. Completion of the purchase of The Angel is all set to be completed towards the end of August as planned. Hopefully we’ll see the pub open again before too long! The New Barrack Tavern is hosting a charity music festival over the weekend of 22nd to 24th August.

On 1st July, The Angel Spinkhill Community Interest Company exchanged contracts on The Angel Hotel with Punch Taverns. On the completion date (26th August), they will own the building. This is a significant step in the campaign to Save The Angel. The total figure raised by their appeal was £170,870. This is made up of four major investors (£30k each) and £50,870 from individual investors. The Castle Inn (Bolsterstone) has reopened. Dean and Amanda Crookes have purchased the Rivelin, Tofts Lane, Sheffield. After closing the pub for a short period post completion, they plan to re-open shortly afterwards after refurbishment. Lauren White is leaving the Travellers Rest in Apperknowle which she has helped landlady Sara run for the last two years to go to a new job at the Tickled Trout in Barlow, which is due to reopen soon under its new ownership. The Trout’s website (www.tickledtroutbarlow.com) gives an idea of the new owners ethos, it will be food led with good quality cooking but with the relaxed atmosphere and good beer a pub environment offers. A new live music venue has opened on Dronfield High Street – JD’s lounge. The bar does not currently offer real ale but the possibilities of putting cask beer in is currently being investigated! Riverside Live on Mowbray Street sees a change to the food offering from 1st August with the Twisted Burger Company taking residency in their kitchen. Twisted Burger Company started out life as the Harley Hotel’s food offer (and still is) and has expanded doing burger stalls at festivals and recently took their brand to the Aire Bar in Leeds for a few months. The White Lion at Heeley is through to the regional final to be the best “entertainment venue” in the North of England and Scotland for the Morning Advertiser awards. The Maida Vale bar is now open on West Street, this is a live music venue in the premises previously known as the Bedroom and the Saddle. It is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9pm to 4am and has real ale available.

The Sportsman at Lodge Moor is one of the few pubs in the area to be selling a new beer from Timothy Taylor. The beer has been specially brewed to celebrate the Tour de France. It is Le Champion, a 4.5% French style blonde beer brewed with Alsace Strisselspalt hops and continental malts to give a smooth body and a delicate hop fragrance. The Sportsman also sells Taylor Landlord and Tetley Bitter. – Shaun Barnes is the new manager of The Plough, Sandygate Road. Bradfield Farmer’s Blonde and Sharpe’s Doombar are regular beers and there will be a rotating guest. A new menu is planned and the Sunday and Thursday quiz nights continue, both with free buffet. – Carbrook Hall (Attercliffe), the Norfolk Arms (Grenoside) and The Friendship (Stocksbridge) remain open, but are all currently advertised as ‘for sale.’ – The Miners (Stocksbridge) has closed. It is to be converted into a private dwelling.