In 2009, following years of neglect, the old First Class Refreshment Room re-opened as the
Sheffield Tap. It was originally built, by the Midland Railway, as part of the 1905 station extension (company architect, Charles Trubshaw). It is adorned with Minton tiled walls and fine ornamental bar-fittings. The good surviving fabric (tiling, terrazzo floor, parts of the bar fittings and other joinery) has been beautifully restored while items beyond repair have been carefully replaced, or replicated, including the entire coved and sky-lighted ceiling in the main bar area. Layout changes have seen further rooms added. On opening, a second room (a former taxi office) was included to provide street access. A year later, third and fourth rooms followed.
Considerable effort has been put into the beer range, so not only is the Tap an attraction to passengers and those with an interest in historical buildings, but also to serious beer lovers. In addition to the eleven hand pumps, there is a very extensive range of internationally sourced bottled beers. The Tap won the 2010 National Publican Food & Drinks Award ‘Cask Pub of the Year,’ the ‘Modern Railways Restoration Award’ and a CAMRA/English Heritage Pub Design Award.
Early 2013 saw the addition of the refurbished First Class Dining room. The latter closed in 1976 and had been left to rot. It includes opulent seating, a second bar, the brewery and a viewing gallery, which allows customers to follow the brewing process. The brewery (Tapped Brewing Co.) supplies all the bars in the Tap chain.
The Sheffield Tap has been lovingly restored and, for its superb historic decor and as one of the UK’s last surviving historic railway buffets, it has been recently added to CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. It is an absolute ‘must-see'”
The Tap will be featured in the forthcoming second edition of the CAMRA publication, ‘Yorkshire’s Real Heritage Pubs.’
Dave Pickersgill 
