Category: Pubs

Fagan’s

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill

The next CAMRA Sheffield & District Branch Meeting will take place at Fagan’s on Tuesday 6 December. During the evening, we will be presenting, the licensees, Tom and Barbara Boulding, with a Special Award in recognition of their contribution to the Sheffield Beer scene.

Originally known as the Barrel, Fagan’s dates from circa 1790 and is one of the oldest pubs in central Sheffield. Past owners include Thomas Rawson and Company, from 1946, Gilmour’s Windsor and from 1954, Joshua Tetley. It is currently managed by Star Bars and Inns. This traditional three-roomed pub retains much of an early 1950s refit. This merits inclusion on the national CAMRA Pub heritage listings: this is a pub with Special National Historic Interest. In August this year, this Good Beer Guide pub was included on the South Yorkshire Local Heritage List.

In the past 100 years, there have been three long-standing licensees: locally-born and ex-Bomber Command, Michael Joseph (Joe) Fagan ran the pub from 6 July 1948 until 17 September 1985 becoming Tetley’s longest serving landlord. On his retirement, aged 64, the pub was renamed, and a new sign was erected. This was replaced, in 2008, with a sign which shows an image of Joe against an RAF bomber. Joe died only a few weeks after passing on the tenancy to ex-teacher, Thomas Patrick (Tom) Boulding and his wife, Barbara.

For over 37 years, Tom and Barbara have carefully managed Fagan’s. Décor-wise, every picture tells a story: visitors to the pub, local happenings, the story of Joe. Entertainment-wise, (probably) the most-stretching pub quiz in the city and (almost every evening) traditional live music. Atmospheric and welcoming, this is a traditional pub and proud of it: good solid pub-food and three well-kept cask beers (Landlord, Moonshine and Tetley’s). Outside, the pub was honoured when, in 2013, local artist, Pete McKee left The Snog on the gable end.

In late November 2022, Tom and Barbara overtook the length of tenure enjoyed by Joe (37 years, two months and 11 days). For their influential and unstinting contribution over many years, they fully deserve this award.

We wish them well in their future ventures.

Inn Brief

Posted on by Andy Cullen

The Railway at Wadsley Bridge is to have a wood fired pizza ovens and music on 7 inch vinyls for New Years Eve.

The Rutland Arms is hosting their annual Christmas lights switch on party along with a “Funky Fluids” tap takeover on Thursday 8 December.

Walkley Beer Company are celebrating their 8th birthday on Saturday 3 December with some banging beers on tap and a bit of a buffet!

Crow Inn are hosting a Turning Point tap takeover on Friday 2 December. On cask will be three different imperial stouts while the keg taps will see four beers, a mixture of IPAs and sours.

The Railway Hotel at Wadsley Bridge has been running a “Cask Wednesday” promotion with 50p off the cask ales on that day of the week, except for Sheffield Wednesday match days.

The Old Hall Hotel in Hope have announced their beer festival dates for 2023. As usual all the bank holiday weekends from Easter through to late summer have an event, they’ve also crowbarred an extra event in for the King’s Coronation weekend. See our festival listings for all the dates.

The Tunnel Tap at Totley Rise has finally opened. No cask ale is available here but there are some quite acceptable craft beer choices on keg, usually including options from Abbeydale and Buxton. This micropub is on two floors with a bar on each and seating downstairs. They also have bottles, cans and minikegs available to take away.

Shakespeares Ale & Cider House at West Bar is planning one of their regular beer festivals for January, as usual featuring some interesting, experimental and silly one off special cask beers on gravity upstairs as well as a full range on the main bar. Keep an eye on their social media for details.

The Bar Stewards at West Bar has had a change of name and is now known as West Bar Tap. There have been some changes to the business behind the scenes but otherwise its the same place and people, other than a minor refit to part of the venue that has added some extra tables where the self service fridges were.

The Social bar on Snig Hill has closed down, unfortunately although it was a great little bar everyone enjoyed it didn’t prove financially successful. The associated brewery based in Attercliffe, BrewSocial, continues to produce beer and will keep going as long as it sells! Pictured is Juliet who managed the bar with a pump clip from every BrewSocial beer so far.

The Friendship Hotel in Stocksbridge recently opened their nine new contemporary first floor en suite letting rooms. This is a welcome addition to Stocksbridge and another contribution to its’ growing reputation as the centre of one of the best walking areas in the North of England.

Under new management, the Olde Mustard Pot (Midhopestones) reopened in mid-November. David and Nicola Briggs and Jonathan Wright, licensees of the Three Merry Lads (Lodge Moor) have added the pub to their portfolio. A change of beers and a new menu are in place. The pub opens daily from 11:30, food is available until 20:00. 

Hop Hideout is 9

Posted on by Guest

Small business success sees Sheffield indie beer shop collaborate to celebrate

At a time when we’re hearing the hardships many small businesses face, it’s also a good time to reflect on those who continue to survive and thrive. As one of a handful of 100% female owned beer shops in the UK, Jules Gray has from the very start championed women brewers and breweries as a passionate core ethos of Hop Hideout. She knows and values how much visibility counts in making the beer world a broader, diverse and ultimately more rounder and improved place to be for those in it and providing her customers with outstanding beers to enjoy. After a two year challenging period over the Covid-19 pandemic, Jules stated, ”I wanted to celebrate women that really light up the beer scene, who I not only look up to, but who provide so much positivity and inspiration to the whole beer community.”

This November Hop Hideout celebrated their ninth anniversary as an independent beer shop and tasting room, releasing their beer collaboration, a flapjack stout, brewed at Wild Card Brewery with Crafty Beer Girls. From Friday 11 November they poured Wild Card Brewery beers as part of a tap takeover including their special birthday collaboration release with Crafty Beer Girls and the brewery.

On Saturday 12 November, they hosted a relaxed celebration tasting with Jaega from Wild Card and Crafty Beer Girls organisers in attendance.

On Sunday 13 November they hosted a free and fun family social. As a new parent Jules knows how much of a challenge it can be to find a welcoming social space that’s easily accessible and with baby changing.

She continued, ”I’m absolutely delighted Jaega Wise of Wild Card Brewery and Natasha and Natalya of Crafty Beer Girls agreed to this collaboration. Jaega is a phenomenal technical brewer, having just released her first brewing book and presents on national shows such as the BBC Food Programme. The Crafty Beer Girls is a beer community safe space created for women and non-binary folks to come together in their enjoyment of beer. Co-organised by two passionate and brilliant women Natasha and Natalya. Through the pandemic I turned to this group for support and really valued their virtual meet-ups.”

The celebrations continued at Wild Card Brewery’s new pub in Walthamstow, London – The Tavern On The Hill on Thursday 17 November with a Crafty Beer Girls London meet-up.

Inn Brief

Posted on by Andy Cullen

The Pioneer Club in Dronfield has resumed their Sunday carvery.

A new sports bar in Hillsborough’s Barracks complex called Monkey Bar Club is opening. Food is provided by Smokin’ Bull, serving burgers etc.

The Alehouse micropub in Chesterfield recently celebrated their 9th birthday with a special line up of beer!

Fans of the Antics improvised comedy troupe will be pleased to know that another free show (tips welcome!) is planned at the Dorothy Pax bar for 17 November.

The Dog & Partridge is now free of tie and as well as the beer range starting to evolve there are now cask ale drinkers loyalty cards available – buy 9 pints and get one free.

The Blue Stoops in Dronfield closed temporarily in October, it has been sold by True North Brewery to the Chilled Out Pub Company.

The Tunnel Tap in Totley is expected to open on 21 October at 6pm with craft beer available on keg.

Peacock, Stannington

Posted on by Guest

The Peacock pub in Stannington has recently been awarded Best Pub Food in Thwaites Hospitality Awards 2022. As area winner the Peacock beat off stiff competition from across the region.

Landlord Jamie said “since taking over the pub in late 2021 myself and the team have worked really hard to design and deliver a menu that provides pub classics and more at an affordable price. We are really pleased to have rolled out the two meals for £12 to all day, every day.  

“We are all really proud of the recognition, from front of house who strive to give a warm welcome and consistently excellent service to the kitchen team who deliver the full menu day in day out, alongside our daily specials and Sunday roasts”.

The Peacock has three permanent ales, with Thwaites IPA, Thwaites Original and Wainwright always available, and hope to be offering a rotating LocAle from various Sheffield breweries soon.

Andy Stephens

Inn Brief

Posted on by Guest

Another successful Gillyfest at the Sportsman Inn, Lodgemoor. It was a day live music and fun for all the family and raised £2,271.52 for St Luke’s Hospice.

Also at Lodgemoor there is a new landlady at the Shiny Sheff. Donna Davis is now running the pub which has wonderful views across Rivelin Valley towards Stannington. Sunday is games night, general knowledge quiz on Tuesday with karaoke on Thursday. Marston’s 61 Deep is the regular beer with other Marston’s beer rotating including Pedigree and Hobgoblin Gold.

The last day of trading as a Thornbridge/Brewkitchen venue for the Eagle and Graze Inn on Ecclesall Road was Saturday 3 September.

theSocial bar on Snig Hill introduced food from 12 September. A range of sandwiches, salads, savouries and cakes are on sale weekdays until 3pm. Food to go is available from 9am with the bar open from midday until 9pm.

The Green Room bar on Devonshire Street in Sheffield City Centre has had a bit of a refurbishment and general overhaul, relaunching on 15 September. We are told to expect a new line up of beers (including cask), pool table, beer pong, a “barcade” and of course, music.

Mini retro video game arcade at the Green Room

Perch on Garden Street, the Dead Parrot Brewery tap, is hosting a northern soul all day music festival in the back yard on Saturday 8 October from 3pm until late. Tickets are required, £10 in advance or £15 on the door.

19 September saw Shakespeares on Gibraltar Street launch a new weekly open mic music night in the upstairs “Bards Bar” room. It takes place every Monday from 8pm, more details on the pub’s Facebook page.

The Peacock Inn in Stannington is offering CAMRA members 20p off a pint of cask ale.

The Boston Arms at Woodseats and Clubhouse on London Road both at the time of writing continue to offer pints of real ale at a bargain price on Mondays – check their social media for details. Talking of the Boston Arms, food is now available with Pellizco resident upstairs serving tacos and more. Table bookings available.

The JD Wetherspoons chain hold their regular real ale festival from 12-23 October. Branches in Sheffield include the Rawson Spring in Hillsborough, Bankers Draft, Sheffield Water Works Company and Benjamin Huntsman in the City Centre, Sheaf Island on Ecclesall Road, Woodseats Palace in Woodseats, Francis Newton in Broomhall, Wagon & Horses in Chapeltown, Steel Foundry in Meadowhall and Scarsdale Hundred at Beighton.

The Gardeners Rest is holding a mini beer festival from 30 September to 2 October featuring beer from the old 3 Ridings of Yorkshire.

Old Queen’s Head

Posted on by Andy Cullen

We briefly mentioned the change of management of the Old Queen’s Head next to Sheffield Interchange bus station back in the August issue of Beer Matters and the fact that the new manager, Josh, is actually an old face to the regulars as he already worked behind the bar there!

Briefly after the changeover the beer range was reduced to just the Thwaites range and the food service was also operating a limited menu, however the good news is the two guest ale pumps are now back in action and working their way through an ever changing choice of mainly local beers. On the day the photograph was taken the choice was brewSocial Simply the Zest (an IPA with a citrus kick, 5.5% ABV) and Little Critters Great Danish (a maple and pecan pastry stout at 7.4% ABV).

On the food side a full menu is back in operation, the main menu is very much all about pub grub classics and a cheaper lunchtime menu is also available offering a choice of hot dishes, sandwiches and burgers for £5-6.

The pub itself has seen no change and is spread across three rooms on the ground floor – the historical dining room, the small lounge and the main lounge; there are TV screens in the main lounge showing news or sporting events and there is also an upstairs function room.

Railway, Wadsley Bridge

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Many of you will remember Jack Cater and his dad Andy when they had the Railway on Bramall Lane as a good beer pub, until the Coronavirus pandemic marked the end of that era. They are now back in the pub game at another Railway, this time on Penistone Road North in Wadsley Bridge.

The Wadsley Bridge Railway was sold as the result of the retirement of the long-term landlady there and was potentially under the threat of demolition had it fallen into the wrong hands. It is a classic multi-room pub with a main lounge at the front and games/entertainment room at the back both served by a kiosk style bar, and a separate small room off to the side suitable for private meetings and get togethers. There is also a car park and small outdoor seating area at the rear.

Jack admits they still have quite a bit of work to get done after buying the pub with the decor beginning to look a bit shabby, however at the same time there was a pleasant surprise with the tiled floor in the entrance which had been covered up and will be kept!

This Railway is another pub that is likely to be busy on match days, although of course this time Sheffield Wednesday rather than United, which suits Jack as a season ticket holder at Hillsborough. The pub is a decent size and there is a range of mainstream beers on the bar to cater for football crowds wanting that, however there are also four handpumps serving local cask ales and a range of craft beers on the keg taps from the likes of Verdant, Deya, Pollys. Brewing by Numbers, Burnt Mill and Abbeydale breweries.

Like at their previous pub, there are signs of the longer established family business Amusement Caterers with a juke box, pool table, table football and table-top retro arcade games present in the back room. This room also has a stage and there is an intention to host live music in the future.

The Railway is easily reached by bus with routes 7, 8 and 86 from the City Centre and route 97 from Hillsborough Interchange passing the front door.

Initially the pub only opened at weekends, however they have now extended to full hours and are open Wednesday and Thursday 4pm to 11pm, Friday 2pm to 11pm, Saturday midday to midnight and Sunday 2pm to 10pm.

Inn Brief

Posted on by Guest

The Bull’s Head in Ranmoor is under the new management of Sam Hall who is running the pub with an outlook of “simple things done well”. Sam is aiming to welcome locals to a friendly community pub. He usually has a traditional bitter and a lighter beer from regional brewers and local ones including Abbeydale and Bradfield. There is live music most Friday nights and the pub boasts a south facing terrace and beer garden.

After a good few years of whispers and ideas, The Bar Stewards, The Crow Inn, and Shakespeares Ale & Cider House have decided it’s about time to shout about the area of which they stand as (sort of…) the three corners and have formed “The West Bar Triangle“. The three pubs will be launching what they hope will be an exciting initiative that promotes the area and all of its local, independent businesses while coming together to put on a regular good old knees up – starting with a launch festival from 2 to 4 September that will see the bars put on simultaneous tap takeovers across cask and keg, featuring some of the UK’s best breweries. With other bits and bobs to be confirmed, this looks to be a smashing weekend to kick off a fantastic local partnership.

Firepit Rocks on West Street closed during August for a refurbishment.

With Magic Rock Brewing of Huddersfield now under new, less controversial ownership the annual Cannonball Run event returned to some bars in Sheffield. This saw three versions of their Cannonball beer on bars alongside each other – Human Cannonball (9.2% ABV West Coast DIPA), Neo Human Cannonball (9.2% New England DIPA) and Super Human Cannonball (10% Imperial IPA) at the Dark Horse in Banner Cross and Abbeydale Tap on Abbeydale Road.

Time for another mention of the Tunnel Tap at Totley Rise shops which has been a long time coming with the conversion work from a shop/office unit into a neighbourhood bar, August saw staff recruitment taking place and shopfitting work including building the bar and fixed seating, it is now expected to open early September, keep an eye on their social media for announcements!

Some of you may have noticed the Three Tuns in Sheffield City Centre closed, the pub is owned by Star Pubs & Bars (part of Heineken) who lease it out to an independent local operator with a tied supply contract, they are currently looking for a new long term tenant and in the meantime intend to reopen it with a licensee on a short term deal according to reports in the Sheffield Star newspaper.

The Antics Improv comedy troupe have been doing some free gigs in pubs alongside their main ticketed shows at the Lantern Theatre. 18 August saw them perform at the Dorothy Pax and they have a show at Grafters Bar on 1 September.

The winners of the Yorkshire Pub and Club of the Year awards have been announced. Pub of the Year is Heaven & Ale in Barnsley whilst Club of the Year is Hanging Heaton Cricket Club in Hanging Heaton (near Dewsbury).

Hop Hideout based in Kommune in Sheffield City Centre, reports the recent hot weather led to a boom in sales of craft cider and perry from their shop’s fridges. Popular brands included Purbeck Cider, Artistraw Cider and Olivers.

Jack Cater, who had the Railway on Bramall Lane before Covid, is back in the pub game with another Railway Hotel – the one on Penistone Road North in Wadsley Bridge. As before expect a selection of real ales and additional craft options on keg.

Inn Brief

Posted on by Andy Cullen

The Ball at Crookes has had a refurbishment and reopened on the 16 July with live entertainment to celebrate.

The people behind the Indie-go bar at Steel Yard Kelham in Neepsend have announced they are opening a second bar, Indie-go Resurrection in the City Centre premises that was previously the Devonshire Cat. It is expected to open until 3am and feature live music at the weekend. They are hoping to have opened at the end of July in time for Tramlines fringe.

Neepsend Social Club & Canteen is now open on Burton Road, next to the Parrot Club and Peddlers Market. This venue is themed on a traditional working mans club and membership is available offering various perks, however it is open to all Wednesday to Sunday. They serve food until 9pm with a limited seasonal modern British food menu, with dishes like sausage and mash, scampi and chips and chicken in a basket. They also have games including a table football and darts and have quiz nights and bingo! There is no cask ale currently, however local breweries including Abbeydale and Thornbridge are represented on the keg taps.

The Boston Arms at Woodseats have been running a Monday Cask Ale Club with beer reduced to a very affordable £2.80 a pint. Also offering discounts on a Monday to keep the ale flowing on a typically quiet day is the Clubhouse on London Road offering bargain £2.50 pints.

The opening of the Tunnel Tap at Totley Rise gets closer, at the time of writing the flooring was in and the bar was under construction!

1st July saw a beer launch at Heist Brew Co.‘s tap room involving a collaboration with Emperors. The beer involved was “Something Something Dark Side”, an 11% salted caramel imperial stout with three versions available – the base beer, a version aged in a rum barrel and a version aged in a bourbon barrel, the latter being on cask.

The first beer out of Brew Social hit the bar at the Social on Snig Hill on Friday 15 July with brewer Richard Hough and the team there to make it a bit of a launch event. The beer was “Out to Launch” a 4.5% pale ale with Cascade hops. All the BrewSocial beers are to be unfined therefore suitable for vegans and naturally slightly hazy. The first few beers to be brewed will be pale and hoppy at various strengths and with various hop varieties, once they are established a dark beer will follow in time for winter!

The Little John Inn at Hathersage continues to offer a changing selection of beers on both cask and keg and have recently been featuring the relatively local Eyam Brewery with their premium bitter on handpump and strong stouts on keg such as the Bubonic Orange (6%) and Imperial Black Death (11%). A Jam night has been launched on Tuesdays from 8pm and they continue to have a pool table and table football.

The Dog & Partridge on Trippet Lane in Sheffield City Centre have announced they are now free of tie from the pub company they lease the pub from, meaning they can now go to any brewer or wholesale for all their beer lines rather than just the pub company. We can look forward to seeing what interesting different beers start appearing on their bar!

There has been a change of management at the Old Queen’s Head by Sheffield bus Interchange, which is leased from Thwaites Brewery, with Mike and Zuzana calling it a day. The new manager is Josh Tomlinson and there a new chef there, initially serving from a limited menu of pub classics plus lunchtime sandwiches and burgers. We wish every success to Josh and also look forward to seeing Mike and Zuzana on the right side of the bar!