Category: Pubs

The Bear came out top in the recent Pints of Sheffield “Battle of the Boozers” vote. We called in to see what earned them the victory.

Despite only been open since June 2021, the Bear has already made a name for itself. Based on Abbeydale Road, in the premises formerly occupied by the Rude Shipyard café, it’s part of an area that is rapidly becoming a beer destination to rival Kelham Island.

Owner Matt Beety had long had a desire to open a bottle shop/bar, and finding himself out of work after a 20 year career in Education gave him the final push to do just that. Opening in the middle of a pandemic would seem to be a crazy idea, but Matt says it’s not been a problem. “I originally planned it to be a bottle shop with people calling in to buy a few cans, and maybe me doing home deliveries, which I could make work financially. However it soon became obvious that it was more of a bar, with people staying in for a few drinks, as well as taking home cans and growlers.”

It was a steep learning curve with Matt having no bar experience at all prior to opening. But sheer enthusiasm carried him through, and talking to him now as he serves customers in between questions it’s obvious he’s a natural barman, being as much interested in his customers as the beers. “It’s a great crowd of regulars” admits Matt, “and not just locals, but a range of people making the trip to see us. And winning the Pints of Sheffield competition brought in a wave of new people.” At each stage of the competition Matt came up against some real heavyweights in the Sheffield Beer Scene and was amazed to end up the eventual winner. Pangolin, Rutland Arms, Hallamshire House, Broadfield and Shakespeares were all seen off to clinch the title. “These are all great pubs that I’ve been visiting for years, so it’s nice to know our customers see us in the same light.”

Things have picked up so much now that Matt has brought in an extra member of staff, Lucy, who has previously worked at Walkley Beer Company.

The bar has six taps, one of which is capable of dispensing cask beer, which is something Matt is considering in the future. “I’m keen to always have a good range. There’s usually a stout, a lager and an IPA, and I try to have a GF beer on tap as well. Favourite breweries at the moment are Missing Link and Beak, and locally, Triple Point and Abbeydale.”

The Bear has a monthly quiz with a £30 bar tab up for grabs, although you’ll need to book, and a few tap takeovers planned. The next one is a ticketed event in March featuring the brewer from Missing link. If you’ve not already been to the Bear, I’d recommend you go as soon as you can, and say CAMRA sent you. You’ll not regret it.

*Haha. That’s terrible. Free pint to anyone giving me a worse headline.

In the last issue of Beer Matters, as many of you were buying the Good Beer Guide (GBG) 2022 as Christmas presents, we looked back at which Sheffield pubs were in the 1995 edition and how many are still with us. Now, as we invite members to help choose which pubs will be awarded a place in the 2023 guide, we have another look back to 1995 for a closer look at the City Centre pubs featured.

The Bath Hotel on Victoria Street is first up and as an unspoilt heritage pub has changed little today and is still in the guide although it has benefited from a sympathetic refurbishment and updated toilets. Back in 1995 the beer range included Wards Best Bitter, Tetley Bitter, Ind Coope Burton Ale and a guest whilst today the pub is leased by Thornbridge Brewery with a range of their beers on the bar.

The Brown Bear is another classic pub from the 1995 guide that hasn’t changed much in terms of layout, this has also had a significant investment from its current owners, Samuel Smith’s Brewery, in a sympathetic renovation of the building and internal refurbishment. Under its old ownership this two roomed traditional boozer used to be known for being wallpapered with theatre posters making visitors from the neighbouring Crucible and Lyceum theatres feel at home and the beer range in 1995 included Courage Directors Bitter, Marstons Pedigree, Ruddles County, John Smiths Bitter and Magnet along with a guest. Nowadays there is just the one cask beer – Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery Bitter.

Staying on the theme of classic Sheffield City Centre pubs that remain unchanged today, Fagans on Broad Lane hasn’t even changed management with long serving couple Tom and Barbara still in charge! In 1995 it was described as a lively, popular pub with a small snug and impromptu folk sessions. On the bar back then was Tetley Bitter and Ind Coope Burton Ale. 2022 still sees the pub in the GBG, the Burton Ale has been replaced with Abbeydale Moonshine and Tetley’s Bitter has more recently substituted with Timothy Taylor’s Landlord! The pub also still features folk music and food is served lunchtimes and teatimes.

The next pub listed in the 1995 guide is the Harlequin – although not the current one of that name (which used to be called the Manchester Hotel), this one was located on Johnson Street and was demolished to make way for the inner ring road. The Harlequin was a traditional street corner local noted for having a pot bellied stove in the tap room, it also had a second room with a pool table and beer was from Wards Brewery.

The Lord Nelson on Arundel Street still survives despite changes happening around it in that part of town. It isn’t surrounded by as many “little workshops” as it was back in 1995 but it remains a traditional street corner local. Back then it was a Hardy & Hanson’s pub, now it is a free-house.

Moseley’s Arms at West Bar in 1995 was in the GBG and serving draught Bass and Stones Bitter. It was described as a superbly renovated pub with three comfortably furnished rooms and a friendly atmosphere plus an upstairs function room with a pool table. While the building still stands in 2022, it is no longer a pub.

The Red Deer is a pub that was in the GBG until last year when there was some Covid related uncertainty surrounding it, although the good news is a new tenant took over the pub with the same staff and manager so little has changed. In fact the pub is very similar to how it was in 1995 other than it being redecorated over the years and the beer range changing. Back then the choices in this former Tetley house included Alloa Arrol’s 80/-, Ind Coope Burton Ale, Wards Best Bitter and a guest ale along with Tetley’s Bitter, Mild and Imperial.

The Rutland Arms on Brown Street in 1995 was described as a City Centre gem in a resurgent cultural corner where, behind a distinctive Gilmour’s frontage, lies a comfortable lounge and a cosmopolitan clientele! The beer range back then included Ind Coope Burton Ale, Marston’s Pedigree, Tetley Bitter and Younger No. 3, food was served lunchtime and evening and bed & breakfast accommodation was offered. The pub remains in the guide today although the upstairs rooms are gone and the beer range is a little more exotic!

The Tap & Spile was quite the real ale showcase pub back in 1995 with ten changing ales plus cider. The main room was a large bar with exposed brickwork and bare boards along with a side room which was no smoking at lunchtime when food was served. There has been a pub on the site since 1790. It was rebuilt in 1927 as the tap for the nearby Gilmour Brewery and, in 1992, become part of the Tap & Spile chain. Sadly the pub had since fallen on harder times. It had a subtle change of name to the Tap & Barrel when it was re-themed in 1998 and has since gone through the ownership of both Pubmaster and Ei group. It is no longer trading.

Finally, the Washington on Fitzwilliam Street. It was in the GBG 1995 described as a pub with two comfortably furnished rooms that is a popular meeting place which serves lunches Monday to Friday. The beers on the bar back then were Ind Coope Burton Ale, Tetley Bitter and Tetley Mild. Although the pub isn’t currently in the guide, it is still going strong with a range of real ales on the bar including the ever popular Abbeydale Moonshine, it is more music focused now with live bands and DJs. It no longer opens at lunchtime but stays open until 3am most nights and is popular with the late night crowd. The pub retains a two room plus beer garden layout with one of the rooms still a comfortable lounge, the other now has a DJ box and dance floor plus much simpler furniture. It has also seen recent investment upgrading the outdoor area.

In December 2021, the Frecheville was demolished without planning permission. The owners, Nelson’s Development & Construction Limited, had applied for planning permission for demolition and erection of a three-storey building to create 11 apartments (7 x 2 beds and 4 x 1 bed) with associated car park, bin store and landscaping works.

However, at the time of demolition, no decision had been made by Sheffield City Council regarding the planning application. We note comments from local residents regarding the planning application and recent press reports which quote local councillors.

The Carlton Tavern (Kilburn, London) sets a clear precedent for actions of this sort.

This Carlton closed in April 2015 then, two days before Historic England was due to recommend the pub be granted Grade II listed status, the owners demolished the building, without planning permission. They expected a £5000 fine. However, Westminster Council had a different opinion. They ordered the owners: CTLX, to rebuild the Carlton brick by brick. Earlier this year, having been totally rebuilt, it re-opened.

CAMRA Sheffield & District believe that Sheffield City Council should take a similar hard-line approach to that adopted by Westminster. Developers should not be allowed to demolish, without first achieving the appropriate planning permission.

CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2022 launched on 12 November and as ever features the best real ale pubs in each area of the UK as selected by local CAMRA members that drink in them along with brewery listings, therefore it seemed a good time to kick off a series looking back over the last couple of decades or so and highlight some pubs and breweries that have been lost as well as the long lasting stalwarts!

This time we’re looking back at the Good Beer Guide 1995.

There were certainly less breweries back then – in the whole of South Yorkshire there were seven – Concertina, Frog & Parrot brew pub, Kelham Island, South Yorkshire Brewing Co, Stocks, Stones, Wards and Wortley. Of these only Kelham Island are still brewing today, however Sheffield alone now boasts around 25 brewing companies!

East Sheffield has lost a lot of pubs since the 1995 edition of the guide such as Carbrook Hall (now a coffee shop), Cocked Hat in Attercliffe (was sold off by Marstons and is no longer a pub), Enfield Arms (demolished, although the Noose & Gibbet next door still stands!) and the Red Lion on Duke Street (no longer a pub).

One East Sheffield pub from the 1995 guide still trading is the Alma Inn at Mosborough, described in the guide as a two-roomed traditional and friendly local with a central bar that is a worthy find off the beaten track. It had a small play area for children and served Wards Best Bitter and Thorne Best Bitter. These days its still a nice community pub and investment in the outdoor area has been made prior to post-COVID reopening. According to WhatPub, one real ale is available, usually from Greene King.

At Chapeltown the long run in the guide enjoyed by the Commercial was yet to begin, however the area boasted two guide entries – the Norfolk Arms and Prince of Wales, both Wards pubs. The Prince of Wales is still going with a busy programme of entertainment although real ale is no longer available; the Norfolk Arms is also still with us, serves food, offers overnight accommodation and has a couple of ales on the bar (Doom Bar and a guest).

In the North of the city the Robin Hood at Little Matlock (Stannington) and Staffordshire Arms in Burngreave both served Stones Bitter and are both lost pubs although still standing. The former was a good pub to the end when it was converted to residential use while the latter had its licence removed by the local authority!

Another lost pub from the 1995 guide in the area was Morrisey’s East House on Spital Hill, fondly remembered for the days you bought jugs of Abbeydale Moonshine to take to the curry house over the road, however in 1995 the beer range was listed as Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Whitbread Boddington Bitter and changing guest ales with the pub also featuring acoustic music sessions and vegetarian food.

One pub listed under North Sheffield in the 1995 guide still going strong today is the Cask & Cutler at Shalesmoor – now back to its original name of the Wellington – which featured an ever changing range of up to six beers from independent breweries. Now it is associated with Neepsend Brewery featuring their beers plus guests but the pub itself has changed very little other than a minor refurbishment inside and improvements to the outdoor drinking area so retains its classic character.

To the South of the city now and the first entry is the Dore Junction pub at Dore & Totley railway station. The bar served beers from Marstons, Theakston and guests and some readers may recall a young James Birkett behind the bar (who now owns the Sheaf View, Wellington and Blake). Sadly the time the converted station building spent as a pub was relatively short lived, it is now the Rajdhani restaurant.

Not far away, in Totley, another lost pub is the Fleur de Lys. This was a fairly large pub with two oak panelled rooms with the larger hosting a dining area. The bar served Stones Best Bitter and Bass Worthington Best Bitter. In more recent times as an Enterprise Inns pub it struggled for custom, not helped by Hallam University closing their Totley campus as well as competition from other pubs in the area and it has now been converted to flats.

The final lost pub of the South listed was the Earl of Arundel & Surrey on Queens Road, which was famed for its historical requirement to host stables for stray livestock! The premises is now a cycle shop.

Also in the Good Beer Guide 1995 was the Old Mother Redcap in Bradway, a Samuel Smiths brewery pub conveniently situated by the bus terminus. The pub has been closed a few years now however it not a lost pub yet – the brewery is struggling to recruit a live in management couple to run it for them but is still advertising the job!

The Shakespeare at Heeley was in the guide, this is now known as the Brothers Arms, back then the beer choice included Stones Best Bitter, Tetley Imperial plus guest ales.

Finally in South Sheffield was the Small Beer Real Ale Off-Licence on Archer Road in Millhouses. On the handpumps to take home in plastic bottles were Batemans XXXB, Exmoor Gold, Timothy Taylors Landlord and a guest while the shelves were packed with continental bottled beers. The shop has changed ownership a couple of times since 1995 but is still going strong as the Archer Road Beer Stop with handpulled ale to go although the breweries featured tend to be more local these days and the range of packaged beers has expanded to include the modern British craft beer scene more.

Out West many of the Good Beer Guide 1995 listed pubs are still trading today – these being the Banner Cross, Cherry Tree, Fox & Duck, Lescar and Old Grindstone. Two of the listed pubs are gone though – the Old Heavygate and Royal Hotel, both in Walkley, which were converted to residential use with the pub companies that owned them claiming insufficient demand (although the new micropubs in the area opened since then seem to be doing OK!)

Into Sheffield City Centre and a number of pubs listed in the guide are still going today, these include the Bath Hotel, Brown Bear, Fagans, Fat Cat, Lord Nelson, Red Deer, Rutland Arms and the Washington. Lost pubs include the Harlequin on Johnson Street (not the current one which used to be known as the Manchester), Moseleys Arms at West Bar and Red House on Solly Street.

The Tap & Spile on Waingate was also in the 1995 guide and back then featured a changing range of ten real ales and two real ciders, it has had something of a fall in grace in the years since, changed its name to the Tap & Barrel and is currently closed.

We’ll take a closer look at those City Centre pubs next time.