Category: Pubs

Chefless pub kitchen service

Posted on by Guest

City Grab, the food delivery arm of City Taxis, have teamed up with their sister company ChefChef.store and event caterers PJ Taste, to create options for those brave or desperate enough to trade through these next few weeks.

Now that a substantial meal is a prerequisite for visiting a pub, the thorny question of how to open properly remains unresolved. Many simply won’t be able to afford the wages of kitchen staff, either at all, or during quieter shifts.

As pubs weigh up their options, City Grab have three opportunities for venues who decide to try and operate but are unable to open a kitchen. For all options we are promoting the idea of a ‘plateage fee’. Allowing pubs to charge a back to front version of corkage – the mainstay of BYOB venues over the years.

One option is to join a buddy system with one of City Grab’s outlets. The bar
effectively becomes a broker for the customer and orders meals via City Grab for consumption in the next hour. City Grab will offer a ’99p per mile’ delivery as a two week introductory offer from Go Live. Diners can expect their food to arrive within half an hour, with the pub charging a surcharge for the table. This can help keep two independents viable at the same time.

Alternatively, or to compliment the above, with ChefChef.store and PJ Taste we have developed a lunchtime and evening ready meal package. Lunch time meals are budget frozen meals, with evening meals pre-booked off a five plate menu and delivered ready to heat on the night.

All of the above will be supported by extensive marketing through the City Grab marketing, PR and social media channels.

We know it’s not ideal and it might not be enough – but if it helps one or two venues get through these crazy times then we reckon it’s worth it. if you are interested in joining the scheme or finding out more, get in touch with the team on hayley.hirst@citytaxis.com.

NOTE: This was the old tier 3, which is now tier 2, where pubs can only open if they operate as a restaurant. It will become relevant again if our area is moved to tier 2.

Collobracadabra back but barrel aged

Posted on by Guest

*note this is taken from their Facebook event page

They had taken a break from beer events for a little while but wanted to celebrate a special little weekend held at Shakespeare’s that got slightly overshadowed by a certain global crisis but took a ridiculous amount of work to pull off and produced some incredible beers.

Right on the cusp of everything going doolally and the whole world changing we held a beer festival of 15 beers we had collaboratively brewed ourselves. One of these was the events flagship beer, if you will, Collabracadabra, a honey, vanilla and Apricot pastry braggot brewed at Steel City with help from Abbeydale, Neepsend, Blue Bee, and Lost Industry.

It all seems 5 minutes ago since we had a BBQ and chucked a lot of apricot in this but it turns out it has actually been months – and during those months a little run off has been ageing in a white wine barrel to make CollabracadaBA.

Being Shakespeare’s, we obviously wanted to get the barrel aged braggot in cask, so we did. Along side it we have what we think is probably the last remaining keg of the original beer too so you can quaff them together to compare and contrast.

While we’re at it we’ve stuck with the honey theme and also have Steel City’s Hive Mind honey saison, and stuck with the mad theme with something extra special as a little nod of appreciation to our lovely pals up the road at the Crow Inn. We love our recently acquired pub neighbours all the time but we’re especially chuffed for them getting Zwanze day this same weekend. We’ve got a blend of Collabracadabra and Corvus Corone in Bordeaux – a red wine barrel aged sour brut IPA brewed by the Crow lot. Put them together and what do you get? We don’t know but were hedging bets it will be delicious.

So there you have it, 3 beers with the same beer that are all totally different and one with similar ingredients that is also completely different – genuinely.

This event is at Shakespeare’s on Saturday 26th September from 3pm.

Bar Stewards x True North collaboration

Posted on by Andy Cullen

The team from Bar Stewards – the little craft beer bar on Gibraltar Street – have been to True North Brewery in Sheffield City Centre to join brewer Dean produce a special one off beer available in the bar this week.

“God Hates a Coward” is a 5.5% ABV New England IPA brewed with a variety of hops – Sabro, Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin and Loral – and plenty of them!

The beer launched on the Bar Steward’s keg wall on Wednesday 9th September with an exclusive one off cask version dry hopped with Citra following on handpump on Friday.

Inn Brief

Posted on by Andy Cullen

Another wave of pub re-openings following lockdown has happened in the last week or two, although of course still all a fairly different experience with Covid-Safe measures.

Out at Woodhouse Mill the Oxbow micropub has recommenced bar service for drinking on the premises after a period of operating as an off licence with a couple of tables added outside. Opening hours are reduced and it is contactless payment only, check their Facebook page for details.

Meanwhile in the City Centre Fagans, Beehive and the Washington have now reopened. The Washington now has table service and as government guidelines currently forbids dancing, the dance floor has been converted into a couple of cosy seating areas although a programme of DJs and live music of sorts is still taking place (at reduced volume!).

Down in the Kelham/Neepsend area Church – Temple of Fun has reopened with a bit of a reconfiguration of the venue, new vegan food menu and table service. A cask beer continues to be available on the bar, on the opening weekend this was Abbeydale Behemoth.

The Albion on London Road, run by Stancill Brewery, reopens on 18th September.

The Three Cranes in Sheffield City Centre has closed due to Covid.

The Hanover‘s lease is up for sale due to the current owner expecting a baby.

The Old Workshop bar on Hick Street, Neepsend, reopens on Friday 18th September as a fully vegan venue and will be the new home of Make No Bones vegan fast food, who were previously based at Church Temple of Fun (and before that had a little cafe in Heeley).

The Industry Tap bar in Sheffield City Centre celebrates its first birthday from 17th to 20th September with an extensive and special tap list.

The Fulwood Ale Club have received conditional planning permission for outdoor seating and awning until 9pm.

A guide to Covid safe pubgoing

Posted on by Andy Cullen
Pubs and bars have gradually been reopening from 4 July and things will be a little different whilst Covid-19 safety rules are in force. Below is CAMRA’s rough guide to the new way of pubgoing, updated to reflect the September changes to government guidance. Note additional comments at the end regarding changes from 14th October. Check out WhatPub for all the information we have about which pubs are reopening and when. Links are also provided to the pub’s website and social media for more details, including any changes to opening hours. If you are using public transport to get to the pub, check out the Travel South Yorkshire website for current timetables and social distancing arrangements and don’t forget your face covering, which is now a legal requirement on public transport and in taxis (unless you have a valid exemption)! So how do things work now? As each pub, bar and food hall are unique and different, there are some differences in the way they are doing things but all the basics are the same in line with government Covid-Safe guidelines with the management and staff working hard to ensure they are providing a clean, safe and comfortable environment to enjoy food and drink:
  • When you arrive you will normally be greeted by a member of staff who will take your NHS Test & Trace contact details (you can either using the new NHS app or the venues own system), ask you to sanitise your hands and show you to a freshly cleaned table. Some venues may require you to book a table in advance, some are walk-in and some a mixture of both.
  • You must have a table, standing in pubs to drink is no longer permitted and unfortunately once all tables are taken no more customers are allowed in.
  • Pubs now operate table service (how civilised!). You are asked where possible to look at drinks menus either printed or online rather than perusing pump clips at the bar.
  • A maximum of 6 people may sit together and you shouldn’t mix with other groups. The same rules now apply both indoors and outdoors.
  • Social distancing arrangements may be in place such as one way systems, separate entrances and exits and limitations of the numbers in the toilets at any one time.
  • Contactless card payments are preferred in venues that accept them as this reduces the risk of Coronavirus being spread through cash handling. Some venues are taking orders and payments online either via a website or an app.
  • You are asked not to move furniture around as the positions are all measured out to comply with social distancing rules.
  • You should follow social distancing advice at all times including if you are outside smoking or queuing to gain entry as well as within the venue.
  • Use your “indoor voice”, shouting can potentially spread germs further. Venues will keep any music and TV to background level to ensure raised voices are not necessary.
  • You must wear a face covering when not sat at your table (so when you arrive and are shown to a table along with when you need to move around the venue such as to visit the toilets for example).
  • All pubs, restaurants and takeaways must be closed with everyone out by 10pm. It is expected that the bars will stop serving around 9:30pm to allow drinking up time so you should ensure you have your last drink (and any take home purchases) by then.
Please be nice to the staff implementing the new rules. They are government rules designed to keep everyone safe through the pandemic, if the staff do not manage the pub in a covid-secure manner they could be closed down! FROM 14th OCTOBER – NEW 3 TIER LOCAL RESTRICTION SYSTEM In Tier 1 areas (Medium Alert) the above applies. In Tier 2 areas (High Alert) an additional rule of not being allowed to be indoors with people from outside your own household applies (therefore if you go to the pub with anyone you do not live with you will need a table outside, unless they are in your support bubble). In Tier 3 areas (Very High Alert) you can only go to pubs if you are having a meal
>> Government Guidance >> CAMRA’s response to new 10pm close rule >> SAVE OUR PUBS – Email your MP to ask pubs get government support to survive the restrictions

Eat Out to Help Out

Posted on by Andy Cullen
This national government funded initiative runs throughout August on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with a 50% discount off food and non alcoholic drinks up to a maximum saving of £10 per head at participating cafes, restaurants and pubs when you dine in. This is a great opportunity to eat out at pubs that do food at the normally less busy part of the week at very reasonable prices – a main course normally costing a tenner will be reduced to a fiver, a meal normally costing £20 will be just £10 and a bar snack normally costing a fiver is reduced to basically some loose change! A whole variety of pubs are taking part in this dining out scheme from community locals and cosy country pubs through to City Centre bars, food halls and gastropubs; both local independent operators and well known chains. You can search for participating venues on the government website here. Alternatively there’s a handy map showing the pubs, cafes, restaurants and food halls taking part here. Don’t forget government Covid-Safe restrictions remain in force – if you are sitting indoors you are limited to a maximum of two households sat together whilst outdoors in a beer garden it can be up to any six people sat together. Check with individual pubs for any requirements to book a table, revised opening hours etc. Links to pubs websites and social media are available on whatpub.com. If you are using public transport to get to the pub, all passengers are now welcome but you must by law wear a face covering unless exempt, you should look out for any social distancing measures in place on board and are asked to buy tickets by contactless means rather than cash where possible. Latest timetables for our area can be downloaded at travelsouthyorkshire.com.

Friendship, Stocksbridge

Posted on by Dave Pickersgill
In 1903, “Re-built, Re-furbished and up-to-date.“ By 2014, run-down and failing: purchased by new owners, a sensitive refurbishment and Regional Inventory listing followed. The latest chapter in the renovation is now in hand, planning permission for locally-needed hotel accommodation: nine en suite B&B rooms on the first floor. Historical elements such as the dumbwaiter and fireplaces will be kept and restored as sympathetically as possible. The planning application also mentions praise from CAMRA for the sympathetic restoration of the ground floor public house. We anticipate that this positive ethos will be continued as the owners develop the first floor. See the entry on the Heritage Pubs website. The Stocksbridge area is the new ‘go-to’ recreational cycling/walking area in the South Pennines. Stocksbridge hosted the finish of the cycling Tour de Yorkshire in 2017 and was voted second in the Ramblers ‘Britain’s best walking neighbourhood’ in 2018. Dave Pickersgill If you fancy a trip to Stocksbridge, various buses stop outside the Friendship including the 57 from Sheffield City Centre, SL1a from Middlewood tram terminus, 201 from Chapeltown and 23/23a from Barnsley. The pub has now reopened after the Coronavirus lockdown, more info on their Facebook page.

Lost Industry Tap

Posted on by Andy Cullen
An announcement has been made that Lesley and Mick of Lost Industry Brewing are leaving the Industry Tap bar in order to put their full focus on the brewery, which has been undergoing a significant refurbishment during lockdown whilst the pubs were shut! The good news is this doesn’t mean the closure of the Industry Tap – their partner in the bar, Darren, will continue to run it as his own independent business showcasing craft beers from a whole variety of different breweries including Lost Industry.

Devonshire Cat

Posted on by Andy Cullen
Statement from Abbeydale Brewery: It is with great sadness that we must announce that the Devonshire Cat will not be re-opening as an Abbeydale Brewery pub. With the underlying trend of a reduction in footfall over the past years it has become increasingly challenging to run the Devonshire Cat as a viable business. This is despite every effort made by our team to make it a warm and welcoming venue with a fantastic food and drink offering, and we’re hugely proud of what we were able to achieve in our little corner of Sheffield. It is, therefore, inevitable that the Covid-19 outbreak has had a devastating effect on the viability of this business. Unfortunately, the rateable value of our city centre venue was too high to benefit from the grants offered at this time. Given the uncertainty surrounding the future of the hospitality industry and the prospect of long term changes to social interaction, we have come to the decision that we are not in a position to re-open. We would like to take this opportunity of recognising the efforts of our truly dedicated and hardworking staff members and we are now focussed on supporting those who are impacted by this course of events. We have ensured that all of the local suppliers and breweries that worked with us before the country-wide closure in March have been paid. We will miss the Devonshire Cat so much, and wish to thank all of our customers over the years for their amazing support. We are disappointed not to have the opportunity to have a proper goodbye but would love to see all of you up at the Rising Sun, which will continue to represent Abbeydale Brewery into the future.

Covid-19 – Grant Schemes

Posted on by Andy Cullen
In late May, Sheffield CAMRA wrote to local councils regarding the Government funded Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme, encouraging them to try to ensure that this support reaches every pub and club possible to help make sure they are still there when we can visit again. We received a very positive response from Sheffield City Council: ‘if you are aware of any Pubs in Sheffield that might be eligible but have yet to submit details I would recommend that you urge them to do so. The grant funding is for eligible businesses in need of support and we want to make sure they get what they need.’ – Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Cabinet Member for Business & Investment Hence, we then emailed every pub/club in our branch area for whom we have an email address supplying them with a link to an exploratory letter located on our website. This email was sent on 31st.May. By the end of the day 82 recipients had followed up the link, a subsequent 178 following. We are very pleased with this level of response – many recipients would have already applied for the grant while, to others, it would be seen as a possible opportunity. We believe that a number of local pubs/clubs have received funding as a result of our urging. As of 23rd.June, in Sheffield, of an available £113,068,000, 7577 local businesses have claimed £90,050,000. On 17th.May, the number of successful applications was 6677. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-local-authority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses Dave Pickersgill