Sheffield’s Pub Histories
Explore the stories behind Sheffield’s pubs, from much-loved locals to buildings the city has sadly lost.
A city full of stories
Every pub has a past.
From centuries-old buildings and tucked-away traditional locals to the pubs Sheffield has sadly lost, there’s a story worth telling behind every door. Browse the histories below and discover another side of the Steel City.
Pubs still open
Old Queen’s Head
Read this pub’s history ＋
The Old Queen’s Head occupies one of Sheffield’s most remarkable old buildings. Known historically as Hall i’ th’ Ponds, this timber-framed hall was standing long before the surrounding modern streets took shape. Historic England dates the building to around 1475, although later research has suggested an early-1500s date. It appears in a 1582 inventory belonging to the Earl of Shrewsbury, and the house later became part of the Old Queen’s Head pub. With its exposed timberwork and steep roof, it offers a rare glimpse of the Sheffield that existed before the city’s industrial growth.
The Bath Hotel
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The Bath Hotel stands at the pointed end of a Victorian terrace near the former Glossop Road Baths. The name was in use by the early 1900s, but the pub’s most important changes came in 1931, when brewer Ind Coope extended and remodelled it. Remarkably, much of that layout survives today, including the small snug, corridor drinking space, fixed seating and tiled bar fittings. The building was Grade II listed in 1999, and its sensitive restoration received a national conservation award. It remains one of Sheffield’s finest places to see a historic pub interior.
The Fat Cat
Read this pub’s history ＋
The building now known as The Fat Cat dates from around 1850, when this was a busy industrial part of Sheffield. It spent many years trading under earlier names, including The Alma. In 1981 Dave Wickett and Bruce Bentley bought the pub and reopened it as The Fat Cat, giving independent and guest beers a much bigger place in Sheffield’s pub life. Kelham Island Brewery was later established in the pub’s garden in 1990. The building is Grade II listed and still retains a traditional layout that reflects its nineteenth-century origins.
Sheffield Tap
Read this pub’s history ＋
The Sheffield Tap occupies the former first-class refreshment rooms at Sheffield Midland station. Built as part of the station’s early twentieth-century improvements, the rooms once welcomed railway passengers with decorative tiling and handsome fittings. Their original role declined, and they were left closed for many years. A major restoration began in 2008 and the Sheffield Tap opened in 2009, bringing the rooms back into public use. The revived interiors include tiled walls, a terrazzo floor and carefully restored or recreated details, making the pub as interesting for its building as for its beers.
A selection of Sheffield pub histories to start the collection. More stories and photographs can be added over time.
Former pubs
The Stone House
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The Stone House on Church Street is a Grade II listed building with a striking stone frontage and a nineteenth-century history. Its address has also been associated with wine and spirit merchants, before becoming known for the pub many Sheffield residents remember. The pub had a distinctive indoor courtyard dressed up as an old street scene, complete with shopfront-style details. Though it has not operated as a pub for many years, the building survives as an important reminder of a vanished part of Sheffield’s social life.
The Black Swan / Boardwalk
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The pub and music venue at Snig Hill became famous under several names, including The Black Swan, the Mucky Duck and, later, the Boardwalk. Its post-war building became an important stop for Sheffield bands and touring performers. The Clash played their first public gig here in 1976, and the venue was later closely associated with the early Arctic Monkeys. The Boardwalk itself closed in 2010. Although the building has seen other uses since, its old pub names remain a memorable part of Sheffield’s music and nightlife history.
Former pub venues may have been reused for other purposes; this section records their pub history rather than the current use of each building.
Keep Sheffield’s stories alive
From Sheffield With Pubs
Celebrating Sheffield’s pub scene and the history behind it. Old photographs, memories and local stories all help keep the city’s pub heritage alive.
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