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.
Beer House interiorWindow seatsThere are 6 handpumps on the bar offering 5 cask ales and a ciderCraft keg fonts at the Beer HouseIf you’re getting a City Centre bound tram, the Beer House and tram door lines up almost perfectly to walk straight into the bar!
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.
The two Sheffield City Centre Stonegate pubs that closed for a minor refurbishment – the Beehive on West Street and Globe on Howard Street, are now both open again and operating as “Craft Union” venues, which are Stonegate wet let pubs run in partnership with self employed managers and their staff. The focus is on drinks deals and entertainment with the Beehive open until 2am at the weekend with a DJ on. Cask ale remains available at the Beehive with Timothy Taylor Landlord, Marston’s Hobgoblin Gold and Robinsons Dizzy Blonde on the bar on the opening weekend.
The Wharncliffe Arms is set to close temporarily at the end of May for renovation work which will see an extension of the seating area, installation of a commercial kitchen and relocation of the bar area.
The Ladybower Inn reopened at the beginning of April although just serving drinks – beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and hot drinks. The kitchen was scheduled to open on 17 May so by the time this issue of Beer Matters hits the pubs the food menu should have been launched! Also by the time you read this in print the rooms upstairs should be available to book for overnight stays.
The Cross Scythes Hotel in Totley, which was leased from the Stonegate pub company by a local independent operator, closed on the 18 April after 5 years being run by Ben & Scott – a good chunk of which was through the Coronavirus pandemic! The pub and restaurant reopens on 12 June following refurbishment as part of Stonegate Pub & Dining chain.
It has been announced which Dronfield area pubs and clubs are taking part in the annual One Valley festival on Saturday 3 June. The main town event involves the Victoria, Blue Stoops, Manor House Hotel, Green Dragon, White Swan, Dronfield Arms, Underdog, Jolly Farmer and Dronfield Woodhouse Sports & Social Club. Running alongside this is “One Valley Extra” at Drone Valley Brewery. There are four Stagecoach bus routes serving Dronfield and most of the venues – 15, 16, 43 and 44 with a “Silver DayRider” pass offering all day travel on Stagecoach services in the area for £5.90 per adult or £15 for a group of 5, this can be purchased and use on the Stagecoach app, alternatively a flat fare of £2 per ride applies, paid to the driver – see stagecoachbus.com for more information.
The Cremorne on London Road has a new manager and the pub is back on form with a good range of well kept cask ales and music has returned too!
The Cricketers Arms on Bramall Lane has been voted as a top fans pub for an award by football supporters. The pub only opens on match days and has lots of Blades memorabilia on display, Abbeydale Moonshine is on the bar at a reasonable price.
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”.
Our friends behind Sheffield’s first permanent Micropub, the Beerhouse on Ecclesall Road, are opening a new bar in Hillsborough. It’s been 6 months in preparation, but the aim is for a late May opening so they could already be trading by the time you read this!
Following the same style as the original, they will have a good range of well-kept beer featuring 6 cask lines and 5 keg, as well as “Yorkshire Tapas”, namely pork pies and sausage rolls!
A tie-in with the S6 foodbank will also help local people as well as fostering a community spirit within the pub.
Positioned by the Supertram stop opposite the old Hillsborough baths, the new Beerhouse S6 will become part of a rapidly-developing part of town. A number of interesting new bars and restaurants have opened in the last couple of years, making Hillsborough a great place for a night out.
On Saturday 11 February, members of the Sheffield & District branch headed all around the city and its surrounds to complete the Sheffield Pub Survey (the first we have done since lockdown). The purpose of the event was to take a snapshot of the range and cost of real ales and to update CAMRA’s WhatPub database with post-Covid opening times.
Groups on various different routes set off at midday and met up at the Red Deer in the City Centre. From here, those that could still make it, headed out to other areas and pubs which had not yet been surveyed. As during our last survey (Sep 2019) the weather was good especially considering the survey is not normally in February.
131 Pubs were surveyed (fewer than we would have liked), but a respectable 561 beers were recorded. From this data 309 unique beers were identified from 129 different breweries. Given the time of year, the general trend of reduced beer ranges post-Covid and surveying fewer pubs, we still believe Sheffield can claim to be the Beer Capital, offering the widest choice of cask ales. In fact, for the 110 pubs which were surveyed in person (rather than using data available via social media) an average of 4.6 cask ales per pub were available for sale on the day, the same number as during the pre-Covid survey in Sep 2019! For 77 pubs which were surveyed both in 2019 and again this year there was a decrease in the range of beers from an average of 5.52 beers per pub, down to 4.95. This represents a drop of only 10% in choice which with all things considered is quite positive.
The average cost of a pint of real ale was £3.63 (up 40p/12% compared to Sep 2019). If Wetherspoons and Samuel Smiths are excluded from this data the average cost per pint was £3.90 (up 56p/17%). With no beer duty increases since the last survey, prices are up in excess of 3.5% per year but we suspect most of the increase has been in the last two years. The cheapest beers were Green King’s Ruddle’s Best and IPA at £1.71 a pint. The dearest was a 9.5% Monsters English Barleywine 2021 by Torrside Brewing at £6.60.
Local breweries dominated the pumps with Bradfield (63), Abbeydale (51) and Thornbridge (28) being the top three most widely available.
The top spot this year was taken by Bradfield’s Farmers Blonde available in 28 of the pubs surveyed, with Abbeydale’s Moonshine and Sharp’s Doom Bar taking the second and third spots.
A special thanks to everyone involved in going out to venues and gathering all the data to make up this survey.
Exciting news broke recently about a joint venture between Matt from the Bear on Abbeydale Road, and Mike at the Cider Hole in Shalesmoor. A unit inside Orchard Square is in the process of being fitted out as we speak, with a planned opening some time in June, although a name hasn’t yet been chosen (updated, it is to be called the Old Shoe!).
Apparently, the new venue will feature 20 taps, including 3 cask lines and cider too. We can also expect the same wide range of cans, bottles and artisan ciders for which both existing businesses are well known.
It is anticipated that the Exemption Ciderhouse production will relocate here from the Cider Hole.
It looks like being a great stop off for anyone arriving at Midland station heading for Kelham Island. We’ll have more details to announce next month, and will feature a full report once they are open.
On Friday 24 March Paul and Kate celebrated 30 years of running the Commercial in Chapeltown in quite some style with a surprise party including special beers from Abbeydale, Durham and White Rose breweries.
In addition to the cask ales, the Commercial is also renowned for it’s extensive range of Sprits and hosts whisky tasting nights. And now there is also a special Single Cask Whisky from Milk & Honey Distillery in Tel Aviv, to celebrate 30 years of Paul and Kate running The Commercial. The pub is also home to Sheffield Distillery, who produce Sheffield Assay Gin and Vodka.
With chip butty nights on Wednesdays and naan bread pizza nights on Thursdays the Commercial is an outstanding community pub and a real jewel of the North Sheffield pub scene. Here’s to the next 30 years of quenching Chapeltown’s thirst!
The Globe closed on 10 April for a refurbishment and was expected to reopen on 22 April as one of Stonegate’s Craft Union partnership pubs.
The White Lion at Heeley is expected to reopen at the beginning of May under the same management as the Crown, just up the road!
The Bear on Abbeydale Road is hosting an event with Balance Brewing & Blending on 27 April, they will be treating ticket holders to a few of their fantastic mixed fermentation beers and blended wild ales, accompanied by a snack or two.
The Ladybower Inn reopened on 7 April. Initially it was just the bar that was open, by the time this issue of Beer Matters hits the street it is expected the kitchen and accommodation will be up and running too.
The Rose House at Walkley has now lost its “wooden curtains” and has new windows with the pub being prepared to reopen at the end of April. The pub is owned by Stonegate and is being leased to a local operator.
Vocation & Co launched their Sheffield bar on 14 April. This is the former Old House on Devonshire Street. It features 5 cask ales and 22 keg lines with beers from Vocation and guests, cocktails are also available. Food is described as “upmarket burgers and subs”.
The Hallamshire Hotel on West Street, Sheffield City Centre, reopened on 20 April, under the same management as the Washington. It nailed its colours to the mast of being a music orientated venue from the word go with Barry Krisp & The Bangers performing on opening night and they are keen to reclaim the pub’s musical heritage with an ongoing programme of live music and DJs! The initial opening saw the venue still configured as it was when it closed as Bloo88 but there are plans longer term to make changes which will include bringing back the upstairs function room into use and a bar refit that will introduce cask ale alongside craft beers and cocktails.
After raising quite a substantial amount of money for a local charity, the Blue Ball Inn at Worrall was nominated as Community Pub of the Year and progressed through to the final 50. They were invited to attend the ceremony in London where the finalists would be assessed and a shortlisted to five. The Blue Ball made it through to the final but were pipped at the post by the Dog & Parrot, Eastwood, Notts. Carl and Emma who run the Blue Ball said they thoroughly enjoyed the experience and whilst disappointed not to win thought the Dog & Parrot were worthy winners.
Whilst in London Carl and Emma took the opportunity to meet with their local MP, Olivia Blake, at the Houses of Parliament. They petitioned Olivia about the level of support publicans currently receive in the light of the hike in energy prices and how this had affected the pub trade. Whilst accepting the points Olivia made about support to the brewery trade made a strong argument for this to be cascaded down to pubs or a more targeted support to pubs rather than just breweries.
Since taking over the tenancy of Blue Ball, just prior to Covid and lockdown, they have very much concentrated on improving their cellar, their beers and developing a community focussed pub. The pub we see today is very different to on the one Emma and Carl took over, with regular local community group activities, such as local business club meetings, held in the pub, supporting and sponsoring local activities and soon hoping to host a local produce market in their car park on Saturday mornings.
All of this coupled with award winning Timothy Taylor’s ales on cask makes for a great offering for anyone wanting to enjoy a warm friendly atmosphere, some great food on Friday evenings and a great pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord or Knowle Spring.
