Last month we looked at the great beer scene that has developed in the ‘Heeley Triangle’ creating a beer destination away from the usual City Centre and Kelham Island circuits. This month we look at another part of Sheffield with a cluster of good pubs a short bus ride from town.
The two key bus corridors here are the
52/52a along the main road in Crookes and the
95 along the main road in Commonside and Walkley, supplemented by the less frequent route
31 which wends its way to Walkley via a more off-piste route!
It is walkable between all the pubs featured, however note there are hills involved. All pubs that serve real ale are listed, however due to space constraints we are just featuring those with the more interesting beer range.
Commonside (route 95)
Traditional friendly local in a residential setting. With a focus on customer service and traditional pub values. Taken over in 2013 by the team from the Rutland Arms and went through a major refurb. A wide range of ales and ciders is always available and the food is very good proper pub food. Weekly quiz each Wednesday and Sunday. 8 real ales available featuring Blue Bee Brewery and guests.
Known as the “tardis” this small frontage pub has a snug, pool room, bar area leading through to a large lounge and oak panelled snooker room with full size table. Is now run by Thornbridge Brewery offering at least five of their cask ales plus guest beers and a wide range of bottled beers.
Walkley (routes 31, 31a, 95)
At the top of a steep hill (pedestrian handholds provided), this community pub reopened as a free house in 2010 after seven years of closure. Extensively restored, it has retained many Victorian features, with original etched windows and mirrors. At the rear is a large decked garden. The five guest beers usually include a stout or porter, the majority from small independent breweries. The pub also provides probably the largest selection of whisky in Sheffield with over 200 available. No electronic games, TV or jukebox.
A small specialist beer shop that opens weekends only with a tasting bar offering the choice to drink inside. A choice of three cask beers are available with beer served on gravity, the range changes each weekend. There is also a craft keg line.
Crookes (routes 52, 52a)
Large pub served from one bar. Has 15 hand pumps with at least one cider. Wooden panelled snug area still remains with carpeted floor. Two pool tables in raised area at the back. Can show three sports channels on TV screens. Large outdoor patio area. Recently refurbished.
Large pub with 8 real ales, extensive selection of rums and a pizza oven.
A kind of twin scene venue – the main lounge is members only but the tap room is open to all visitors. There is also a concert room which hosts regular gigs and an annual beer festival. Whether drinking in the members lounge or tap room, there is a selection of reasonably priced real ales available, usually from Stancill Brewery.
Bus summary
31/31a: City Centre (Angel Street, near Castle Square tram stop) – Upperthorpe – Walkley – Hillsborough – Loxley: serves the Blake Hotel and Walkley Beer Company
52/52a: Woodhouse – City Centre (Church Street and West Street) – University – Broomhill – Crookes – Hillsborough – Wisewood: serves the Grindstone, Ball Inn, Crookes Social Club and the Punchbowl
95: City Centre (Interchange, Flat Street, Church Street and West Street) – Commonside – Walkley: serves the Hallamshire House, Closed Shop, Walkley Beer Company and Walkley Cottage.
Bus operators are a mixture of First, Stagecoach and Sheffield Community Transport. Travelmaster offer a range of unlimited travel tickets valid on all operators including the Citybus day ticket at £4 and the Citywide bus & tram day ticket at £4.30. Available from bus drivers and tram conductors (cash only). More information at
travelsouthyorkshire.com.
Fagan’s, originally ‘The Barrel’ is documented on an 1815 map. This indicates that the current left-hand room was, at that time, a neighbouring tenement, the pub and the tenement sharing a yard at the rear of the property. The last major change to the interior was in 1953 (architect, John Foster):
![Mikkeller-Spontan-Tasting-Pack [1511125]](https://sheffield.camra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mikkeller-Spontan-Tasting-Pack-1511125-300x300.jpg)
Sour beer covers a myriad of styles and we love them all here at Hop Hideout. We’ve decided to dedicate the Bank Holiday weekend in August to host our homage to these styles. We’ll be dedicating our full keg taps to sour styles. Plus we’ll be spending the next few months sourcing some special bottle stock for you to try over the weekend too.
Throw into the mix ticketed Mikkeller: Spontan Your Face beer tastings on the Friday and Saturday evening (tickets online £13pp inc 5 samples). It’ll be a special few days all in all. One for the sour heads and those wanting to take their first sip and pucker up!
The garden area will be open, so fingers crossed for sunshine. They’ll also be a select menu of scotch eggs and pork pies on offer from Liberty Foods and extended opening hours.
Find out more: 
![Broomhill Tavern Night exterior. [1609719]](https://sheffield.camra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Broomhill-Tavern-Night-exterior.-1609719-300x169.png)
As part of Heritage Open days 2016, I’m leading a Pub Heritage Walk on Friday 9th.September. This short tour will take in some of the entries in the CAMRA ‘Yorkshire’s Real Heritage Pubs’ book (copies will be available for purchase). Also included are a number of ‘try also’ pubs which include aspects of architectural merit.
We will commence at ‘Fagans’ and proceed to the ‘Dog and Partridge’ via a short stop outside the ‘Grapes.’ After a short refreshment break, we will proceed past the ‘Red Deer’ and ‘Bloo88,’ before completing the walk at ‘The Bath Hotel.’
En route we will pass: ‘Stanch,’ (the statue of a Pointer dog), the building with three different date stones, and the then home of the company whose claim to fame is that the owner was the first man to climb Nelson’s Column. There will also be Victorian tilework, terrazzo flooring, art deco glasswork, a mention of both long-gone Sheffield Breweries, Samuel Plimsoll and much more ….
The walk will take place twice: 14:00 and 17:30. Places are limited (to 15) and may be booked via Eventbrite:
14:00 start: 
97–117 Norfolk Street (including the Brown Bear) was grade II listed in 1972. It was built late 1700’s to 1875, predating most of the buildings in the surrounding area (which include the Town Hall). There has been a pub on the site for over 200 years. It was probably named after the bear baiting pit which was in the botanical gardens. The pit closed in the 1870s when a curious child got too near and was killed by the two resident bears.
In the 1920’s, the Brown Bear had a game called ” bumble puppy, ” a version of the centuries old game of ‘Trou Madame,’ which is still played in Belgium and France. Played on a raised board, balls were rolled down a sloping top towards nine numbered arches.
The Brown Bear was bought by Sheffield Corporation in the 1930’s. The pub survived the Sheffield blitz and planners in the 50s and 60s. In 1981, when the lease was up for renewal, a stipulation was included that the character of the pub could not be altered. The winning bidder was John Smiths who had been lease holders since 1955. The pub was in the first CAMRA Good Beer Guide (1974). However, it was erroneously named, the ‘Brown Bull.’
About ten years ago, the premises were taken over by Samuel Smith. There was an extensive facelift soon after: a rare example of a typical 18th.Century Sheffield house being restored to how it used to look.
Dave Pickersgill