Category: Pubs

Devastated family and friends of a Sheffield man who died unexpectedly have joined forces to raise money to buy a defibrillator to be placed at a popular local pub.

Stefan Elliott (43) died peacefully in his sleep in December and his loved ones, along with The Banner Cross pub on Ecclesall Road where Stefan used to work, immediately sprung into action organising a fundraising drive so his memory would live on.

More than £4,200 was donated and Stefan’s family decided to use the money to fund a new defibrillator which has now been put up outside the pub, alongside a plaque for Stefan, with any money left being donated to local mental health charities.

Stefan, a former pupil of Silverdale School and big Sheffield Wednesday fan, lived on Ecclesall Road and worked at Sheffield City Council before he died.

Stefan’s brother, Lewis Elliott (41) from Ecclesall, said: “Losing Stefan has been absolutely devastating for me, my parents, Stefan’s daughter and step-son and the rest of our family and friends. It was such a shock but immediately we knew we wanted to do something to remember him by and the defibrillator just felt right as it would be available to the wider community if ever needed.

“Sophie and the team at The Banner Cross have been absolutely amazing and done so much to support us including organising a fundraising night at the pub and even providing the venue for Stefan’s wake. We can’t thank them enough.

“We also just want to say thank you to everyone who donated and all the support we have received as a family. Stefan was such a loveable and kind hearted person and is so missed by us all. It helps to know that the community he lived and grew up in now has this defibrillator as part of his legacy.”

This June, July and August you can enjoy a pint of local real ale at the Old Queens Head for just £3.25.  The offer runs every day from 9pm until close on selected real ales. 

Since changing hands last November the Old Queens Head has showcased a variety of breweries from Sheffield and the surrounding area on its free-of-tie lines. Alongside its regular Thwaites beers the pub has showcased beers from Abbeydale, Acorn, Ashover, Beer Ink, Blue Bee, Brew Social, Campbell Street (to name just a few – and that’s just the start of the alphabet). 

Manager Andy Stephens, ex of the Rutland Arms, said “The Old Queens Head is a fantastic pub, steeped in history and conveniently centrally located by the bus station.  I’m overjoyed we can put this offer on over summer, there are lots of wonderful beers and styles to try.”

The Bankers Draft is a friendly, well run, cosmopolitan, city centre local – one of a handful of JD Wetherspoon’s branches to have previously made it into the Good Beer Guide and been Pub of the Month.

It has a lively downstairs and more cosy, sedate mezzanine bar complete with small library and a welcoming fire (winter). Food is the standard, good value Spoons fare.

Jonathan and Terrianne are the respected, long serving managers since 2011 – though both were established at the Bankers prior to their promotions. Terrianne is responsible for Wetherspoons regional training in house and Jon, in particular, has long and enthusiastically promoted Camra’s objectives. He has recently been taking a more hands on approach to the Bankers cellarmanship, with a subsequent uplift in ale quality. Jon is ably assisted by Rosalee who also produces the Bankers excellent promotional support material. Charlotte Coffey assists with ordering and availability.

There is a loyal, established Camra customer base: in fact, Jon jokes that he thinks the Bankers is Camra’s “guilty secret”! Many members are recruited directly through the regular 50p a pint card-carrying discount scheme on Mondays to Wednesdays – which is offered over and above the standard Spoons Camra vouchers. The Bankers is the biggest ale seller in the area: getting through 2,000 pints of ale a week in peak times and up to 3,000 in last year’s festival – second nationally to the Kings Cross Spoons!

Clive Alexander

Pete McKee bar crawl set to celebrate the importance of local pubs this July

Pete McKee is set to host a three-day Sheffield pub crawl this July, celebrating the importance of the much-loved local.

Renowned artist Pete has teamed up with four of the city’s local drinking establishments, as well as Kelham Island Brewery, to put on the three-day event from Friday 7 July – Sunday 9 July, ahead of his much-anticipated exhibition this November – Frank & Joy: A Love Story.

Over the three days, visitors to four Sheffield pubs (Fagan’s’s on Broad Lane – home of McKee’s iconic ‘The Snog’ mural; The Bath Hotel in Broomhall; The Greystones on Greystones Road; and the Brother’s Arms’s Arms at Heeley) can pick up a free Pete McKee pub crawl card and get it stamped when they purchase a drink at each venue.

Visitors with stamps from all four pubs will then be able to exchange the card in the days after the event for a limited edition ‘The Snog’ beer glass, from the Pete McKee gallery on Sharrow Vale Road.

Pete has also joined forces with Kelham Island Brewery to produce a limited-edition Frank & Joy beer for the event, which will be available at all four of the venues across the pub crawl weekend.

Pete, said: “A major part of the Frank & Joy: A Love Story exhibition later this year will be about the bond local pubs have with their communities – and what better way to celebrate this than a good old fashioned pub crawl?

“I’ve picked four of my favourite pubs here in Sheffield to take part and got the wonderful Kelham Island Brewery involved too. I hope people will get on board and pay each pub a visit over the event weekend, joining me in supporting our all-important locals and recognising the role they play in bringing people together.”

In addition to the stamp card and limited-edition beer, each pub will also have a different Pete McKee beer mat available, all of which can be joined together to reveal a print by the artist.

Pete added: “I’m really excited about ‘Frank & Joy – A Love Story’ this November, and this pub crawl is just one way I’m hoping to involve the local community in my work and bring the messages behind the show to life.”

Pete’s Frank & Joy – A Love Story exhibition is set to share the tale of two of the artist’s most-loved characters.

Frank and Joy are the couple featured in The Snog, the work of art painted by Pete on the side of Fagan’s pub on Broad Lane in Sheffield, in 2013.

The exhibition, opening a decade after the original mural was painted, will celebrate Frank and Joy’s life story told through their local, while showcasing the vital role pubs play within our communities.

It will open at Trafalgar Warehouse in Sheffield city centre from 4^th -19^th November 2023 and tickets are available now to purchase.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit: frankandjoy.co.uk

For more information on Pete McKee, visit: petemckee.com

Tramlines festival takes place in Hillsborough Park from 21 to 23 July with several stages of live music and comedy plus food vendors, rides, stalls, bars and more and tickets usually sell out.

However of more interest to many of our readers is the fringe – and not just the official fringe stages in the City Centre but what is going on in the many independent venues including pubs, some of which serve real ale.

At the time of going to press with Beer Matters not a lot had been announced, however events we do already know include

• the Washington pub in the City Centre which has published their line up of live music which runs from 5pm on Friday, 2:30pm Saturday and Sunday. Entry is free of charge and the last band is on stage at 10pm with DJs on afterwards to continue the party through to 3am.
• the Fat Cat where on the Saturday afternoon will have live performances from Sarah Mac and Tiny Barbara’s Surf Club with Rocketts playing on the Friday night.
• the nice folk from the Dorothy Pax will be putting on a free music festival over the weekend at Heeley People’s Park.
• The Dove & Rainbow kick the weekend off with live music on the Friday night
• The Red Lion on Charles Street is planning 14 acts over 2 days.
• As usual there is live music at places like Crookes Club, White Lion in Heeley, Church House etc.
• It is highly likely that pubs like Shakespeares that always put on special events for Tramlines fringe will do so too.

Sheffield’s first micro pub, the Beer House on Ecclesall Road, has now expanded across the city with a second bar on Langsett Road in Hillsborough, at the tram stop and just by the bus interchange.

After 6 months of planning and fitting out, the new bar finally opened at the end of May with owner John Harrison being pleased with it’s initial success. Serving from 6 cask lines and 11 keg taps there’s a great selection of beer, and food will be added shortly with a selection of pork pies and sausage rolls from local suppliers.

Opening hours are 12 till 11, seven days a week, so there’s plenty of opportunity to call in and try it out.

Local CAMRA member, John Stocks, has had a conversation with Josh Barnsley, Manager of his local, the Cross Scythes (145-147 Derbyshire Lane, S8 9EQ). Josh, with the assistance of his partner, Kat, took over the running of the pub about six months ago, on 1st November 2022. 

What inspired you both to take on the challenge?

I had been working for the Devonshire Group for a number of years out on the Chatsworth Estate, in my final years with the Group managing the Devonshire Arms at Pilsley. I thought that it was time to move back to Sheffield. Catherine actually has a full-time job and I would say she was more reluctant to the challenge knowing how much time that this industry and especially running a pub takes but I am very grateful for the hours and time she somehow manages to fit in with running the Cross Scythes.

 Did you always envisage working in the industry?

Not really, originally leaving school I worked for Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme and after four years, I moved on and got my first job as a bar manager at the New Inn on Hemsworth Road.

Have you received training in working in the hospitality industry?

Yes absolutely. I’ve now been in this industry for around 13 years and over time, I’ve taken on various courses such as BIIB cellar management, bookkeeping etc  and more recently a Management course with Derby University.

Do you plan specific short-term and long-term goals for the pub or do you prefer to respond to needs as they arise?

I  have been coming to the Cross since I was 18. The immediate response to walking through the doors was subtle changes. For example, changing the decor where budget allowed and making sure that there is atmosphere whether that’s dimming the lights at night or background music. In answer to the question, short term goals are making sure that the Cross stays open, long term who knows. 

Do you see yourselves remaining at the Scythes long term, or will you be looking for a different challenge?

It’s not so much about remaining at the Cross. I’m a happy custodian that hopes we have made an impact on our local community, but the reality is that somebody could take the lease at any time. All we can do is try and ensure that we leave a legacy here that means that anyone incoming can continue to give our locals a space to be proud of. 

What has been the most rewarding, and most challenging aspect of the job so far?

The comments that we receive daily about the changes we have made, the pop up shop being able to support local makers has been the most rewarding.

If you could change one aspect of the job what would it be?

The hours, but when I ever have anyone ask me that question, an old boss of mines voice appears in my head telling me I’m in the wrong job!

The job must be exhausting and stressful at times, how do you relax ?

It is for sure. Well we are very lucky to have the Peak District on our door-step. I normally head out off there.

What advice would you give to anyone new to the role?

If the opportunity comes along to learn more, then do it. See it as a career and not a job. Bar staff are the best listeners in the world, and you can learn so much about life by engaging with so many interesting people. 

Are you ready to raise your glass? The first Living in Sheffield, ‘Women’s Beer Tasting’, hosted alongside award-winning Sheffield beer shop, Hop Hideout, is happening in May. Two women collaborating together to widen the connection of community with beer. An opportunity to travel the world in flavours, stories and ingredients. The event will take place on May 25th at Kommune foodhall, where Hop Hideout is currently located, in a great partnership between two women who love a good pint: Livia Barreira (from Living in Sheffield) and Jules Gray (from Hop Hideout). Tickets for the event are £10 and include 4 thirds of beer.

“People quite often think women don’t like or don’t understand about beers, which is wrong. This event is also an incredible opportunity for us, women in Sheffield who like a good pint, to connect and have fun”, says Livia.

Jules explains: “It will be an accessible, inclusive and fun beer tasting for women and LGBTQ+ folks as part of the Women on Tap National Festival, that is taking place between the 24th and 28th of May all across the country”.

Children are welcome with parent/s and food will be available to order via Kommune foodhall. Tickets for the event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/living-in-sheffield-womens-beer-tasting-tickets-625294040307