Pitsmoor, Burngreave and Firthpark are up and coming areas. You have to pick your street well, but these areas have some good quality large Victorian/Edwardian houses which are in high demand throughout all major cities. If you look around certain areas of Pitmoor you will find alot of scaffolding and skips!

Sheffield will follow the trend of Manchester and Leeds where investors moved into "rough" areas with alot of money and now these areas are the places to live.

Over last last year or so there has been a buying frenzy in Pitmoor especially. Recently a five bedroom house in S4 was on the market for £118k and sold for £156k - over 10 offers were placed close to the selling price and the house was on the market for less than 2 weeks - mad!

I would appreciate peoples thought on the above.

:o

i hear the Gaza Strip is ripe for future investment

Let's be honest, there're about the worst areas in Sheffield, and you buy there if you're skint.

Originally posted by monkjack
Let's be honest...you buy there if you're skint.

If £156k is your definition of skint, what is your definition of wealthy? Hmm?

The price boom in the South West of Sheffield has forced buyers to look elsewhere.

And why not? Firth Park has its fair share of nice areas. As Littlechick says, just choose your street with care.

I know people who have bought in Pitsmoor, land particuarly because of an upcoming CPO. But I'm not sure I believe a normal 4 bed house went for that in that area, it probably came with 100 acres of land.

Originally posted by monkjack
I know people who have bought in Pitsmoor, land particuarly because of an upcoming CPO. But I'm not sure I believe a normal 4 bed house went for that in that area, it probably came with 100 acres of land.


But have you seen the size of some of the houses in that area? Believe it or not, NE Sheffield was a posh place 100 years ago!

Burngreave Road was full of Doctors and Barrasters in the 1950s but you would not believe it today.
I aggree with Monkjack that 156k is well over the top for that area, now 156 quid, well thats more like it.

Thanks for your comments guys, it's an interesting discussion.

These areas are reasonably rough now (Although not as bad as the cheap areas in Liverpool that I've looked at) but I think you will find a change in the next few years!

In reply to the comment on the £156k selling price - based on how quick houses are selling and the number of bids close to the selling price - the market price is lead by demand.

I know a number of people who are moving into these areas due to the qualilty of housing. Also some members of the the wealthy gay and lesbian community prefer these city areas over suburbia as they feel less predudice.:)

Originally posted by Abby
But have you seen the size of some of the houses in that area? Believe it or not, NE Sheffield was a posh place 100 years ago!

Yes I've seen the houses and they are lovely victorian era residences, and I can well imagine it used to be an upper class area, but its not now.

Originally posted by The Cycleracer
Burngreave Road was full of Doctors and Barrasters in the 1950s but you would not believe it today.
I aggree with Monkjack that 156k is well over the top for that area, now 156 quid, well thats more like it.

It's not just over the top, but I don't believe it's accurate. There is obviously something else to the story, like I say, a large plot of OPP land or something.

You can get a nice 4 bed in Pitsmoor for £50K.

Originally posted by monkjack
You can get a nice 4 bed in Pitsmoor for £50K.

Osborn House, on Burngreave Road, sold for £100,000 at the end of last year

http://www.burngreavemessenger.org.uk/26nov02/osborn.htm

Originally posted by Littlechick
These areas are reasonably rough now (Although not as bad as the cheap areas in Liverpool that I've looked at)


Nowhere on this planet is as bad as the cheap areas of Liverpool - and the Liverpool poverty belt covers over half the city!

Originally posted by monkjack
It's not just over the top, but I don't believe it's accurate. There is obviously something else to the story, like I say, a large plot of OPP land or something.

You can get a nice 4 bed in Pitsmoor for £50K.

It is accurate. The house is a 5 bedroom Edwardian semi-detached house with off road parking and a reasonable sized garden. No plot of OPP land!

Originally posted by Abby
Nowhere on this planet is as bad as the cheap areas of Liverpool - and the Liverpool poverty belt covers over half the city!

Although again, certain rough areas of Liverpool city centre are also on the improve!

P.S. Like your website Abby!

Originally posted by Abby
Osborn House, on Burngreave Road, sold for £100,000 at the end of last year

http://www.burngreavemessenger.org.uk/26nov02/osborn.htm

It's hardly a four bed town house is it !

Originally posted by Littlechick
It is accurate. The house is a 5 bedroom Edwardian semi-detached house with off road parking and a reasonable sized garden. No plot of OPP land!

Well judging by that last link you posted you're comparing apples and oranges.

The same house would probably go for £500K in a nice area.

Anyway, I'm not trying to be critical on purpose, but these areas are not nice, and it'll take a hell of a 'boom' before I'd consider living there.

surely it comes down to what you define as Pitsmoor...a lot of the worse areas are Burngreave...once you start going up the hill from the green into Pitsmoor proper its full of just the kind of substantial homes in large gardens which are ripe for gentrification.Most of the flats to the side are now empty and being demolished. Then youve only got Firth Park before you get to sought after areas like Ecclesfield and Chapeltown.
Unlike all other large cities in Britain Sheffield does not have a decaying inner city...Burngreave etc was the closest you got. Most cities have a nice central business district then a rustbelt then the nice suburbs through historical accident Sheffield has been very fortunate in that respect.
The worst areas which it will take a lot to regenerate are those in the north and eastern suburbs such as Tinsley and Darnall and Parsons Cross etc which you cant really see the yuppies moving into.

It will only be a bit of time until Pitsmoor becomes a desirable area. It was once very attractive, the postings on that are right. Some areas have been gentriefied for a while, look at Abbeyfield Road towards Osgathorpe or Norwood Road and Crabtee. Burngreave is bound to follow soon. It has all the features up and coming people want: It is central, it has old housing, it has goodish transport links. The one that is still missing is infrastructure. Where do Pitsmoor people go to do their shopping? Town. Pitsmoor has no supermarket, not even an Aldi or Kwiksave. They will come when the companies see there are people with money in the area.
As someone from the area who lives abroad and comes back only at Christmas, the difference between now and five years ago is amazing on Burngreave Road.
But, alas, Spital Hill seems to get worse....

Do you have an agenda Littlechick? Are you trying to sell something in those areas? And trying to "talk" up the area?

Such tactics have been known....

:)

Hi all

I live in the Firthpark area and i'm eagerly awaiting the developer with the big cheque book, yes house prices took a slight rise over the past few years, but the area is a bit rundown especially the firvale area, and litter is a huge problem, as for the shoping area at firthpark all the pavements should be dug up and re-layed, a bit of tarting up wouldn't go amiss, and what a shame about the park keepers house, now vandalised and going derlict, why didn't the council sell it???. The Victorian houses themselves though are excellent build quality and larger than a modern equivelent property.

anybody got any history in about areas close to hinde house lane

I have to say my bit here. I once drove through Pitsmoor, sat minding my own business in my car and some bloke jumped out of a car not 50 yards from me and shot - yes SHOT another man. You wanna move there ? Good luck to you, the following week 3 people ( all women ) were carjacked at knifepoint. Nuff said

where's pitsmoor in relation to hinde house lane

the bit before the wicker.

Originally posted by E-Man Groovin
Do you have an agenda Littlechick? Are you trying to sell something in those areas? And trying to "talk" up the area?

Such tactics have been known....

:)

I don't think he is. Looking in an estate agent's window in Hillsborough yesterday I spied a largish house on Rock Street offered at 120k :o

Rock Street used to be the pits of Pitsmoor

GB

LOL I really have to agree with Monkjack here. No one in their right mind that had the money would CHOOSE to live in Pitsmoor, Burngreave, or any such area. I wouldn't live there if I was paid thousands. All house prices are still steadily increasing in the North but you could hardly call Pitsmoor an up and coming area going through a boom. Lets not kid ourselves now.

t020, why do you become upset whenever anybody mentions the words 'nice' and 'area' without mentioning 'ecclesall' ?

If you're free this weekend, I'll gladly take you on a guided tour of the nicer parts of Pitsmoor, Burngreave and Firthpark that we've been talking about.

No doubt your response to this offer will be to accuse me of envy, which seems to me to be your initial response to any reasoned thread.

---

Oh yes I almost forgot to mention - a bullet proof vest is NOT required

There are plenty of nice areas in Sheffield. I just think its a bit far fetched to describe Pitsmoor and Burngreave as being examples of these, as do others if this thread is anything to go by.

I am looking for a house in Firth Park, Fir Vale or Pitsmoor and from the competion out there a lot of others are doing the same. It's ridiculous house prices in areas like Crookes or Walkley (125 grand for a two-up-two-down with a converted attic) that are forcing people like us to look elsewhere. Firth Park has a lot going for it - it has desirable older houses, lots of greenery and plenty of facilities. There is a lot of money going into the area over the next few years.

Lots of people I know have relocated from Crookes to Norfolk Park and house prices over there are booming! Alas we can't afford it now, but I prefer Firth Park anyway. From talking to residents (NOT people who are trying to sell their houses to us btw!) the bad reputation the area has is undeserved- you are just as likely to be burgled in a student area I reckon.

I used to live as a kid in Pitsmoor. Montfort Rd to be exact. This ran of Rock st. When i got married we went to live in Wincobank. We now live on a very nice culdisack called Firshill Avenue, this is right between Pitsmoor and Burngreave, have been there for just under 30 years. With being reg. blind this is a good area for transport to the city. We live in a area with all nationallities but my kids went to school with these kids and they had some great pals. I dont feel frightened to walk in the area that i was born and bred in. There are some bad people but they are in every area. Treat people has you would like to be treated and the world would be a better place.

Interesting topic. I am new to this forum, however I will discuss me later on.

Burngreave and Pitsmoor have taken their fair share of problems in the past and recently, however things are changing. Having lived here 22.5 years of my 23 I think I am pretty well placed to be making that statement. Anyway, to those doubters out there who think Pitsmoor could never fetch above £50k for a house, here are some interesting facts (as can be verified by the selling agents)

House on Coupe Road - Med Terrace in need of complete renovation - sold for £70,000 (Mark Jenkinson & Sons) approx 2 months ago

House on Burngreave Road, opposite Burngreave Van Centre mis sized semi - sold for £95,000 (Reeds Rains) approx 4 months ago

House on Barnsley Road, large detached - oppoosite Crabtree Pond (up the road from Burngreave, past Firshill School) sold for £195,000 (Spencers)

There was a time where you might not have been able to give away houses here, but I would ask somebody to come forward and find a decent house here to rent if you can. It has been a substantial area for landlords to come to invest in, which has pushed up the prices significantly. I know from experience I can walk around here at night, and have no problems with the locals or even those who originally may not have been so local and placed here under various government schemes.

The consensus seems to be that Pitsmoor / Burngreave as a whole is some kind of war zone, but I would say that most of what happens here is a direct result of actions that have taken place originally elsewhere.

Additionally is may suprise some of the sceptics from S10 that there is an investor amongst you who is seeking permission to build two flats on his vacant spot of land on Burngreave Road. Check the Sheffield City Council web site for details of planning permissions :)

Anyway, enough of that, you may wonder why I am so interested in proerty - is it because I am a landlord? Well no, and it not because I am selling either. I am a final year student at University studying Building Surveying - so I may well be around to survey / value your homes one day! I keep a close eye on the property markets, both around Sheffield and Nationally.

I would say from my experience of these that the North of England is experiencing an unprecedented amount of growth in a very short time. Values are rising in cash terms very quickly, but I do not feel they are stable enough to hold off falling a little, although not neccessarily to pre-boom prices so to speak.

Additionally there has been a glut of some very nice, well specified spacious houses for sale over the past 24 months in the more affluent areas of Sheffield. I just wondered what caused the increase in the number of sales. Looking into this further, I discovered many of those selling were doing so to recoup much of their money lost when they originally bought their homes at inflated prices back in the 80's with high interest rates, so the boom time now seems a good time to get out, and seek pastures new.

Amazing what you find when you scratch the surface.

1ManandhisBMW

Originally posted by t020
LOL I really have to agree with Monkjack here. No one in their right mind that had the money would CHOOSE to live in Pitsmoor, Burngreave, or any such area. I wouldn't live there if I was paid thousands. All house prices are still steadily increasing in the North but you could hardly call Pitsmoor an up and coming area going through a boom. Lets not kid ourselves now.

You get a bit agitated don't you?! Don't worry about Pitsmoor or Burngreave coming up, I'm sure that won't impede on your property value! I always wonder why people in the more "affluent" areas are so ready to down talk other areas, when clearly it is of no concern to them. Maybe this is the way they feel justified in paying over the odds prices in these "affluent" areas, by putting other areas down? No, its not a true Sheffielder's way of operation. If you are happy where you are thats great, but don't downtalk others in a way which you would not like done to you.

Fair to say areas all have their good and bad points. I am the first to admit Pitsmoor, Burngreave etc have problems, but it is much different from all the luxury flats built a stones throw away from it in the RLD (Riverside Exchange). That aside how about the past problems of prostitution around Broomhall - the owners of the properties were at the mercy of these folk and their clients, but worked a way around moving them on. In the same way, Pitsmoor and Burngreave are moving forward to aleviate the years of neglect and the last thing we need is being downtalked. If you dislike the area so much, I can only advise you to avoid it both in person and in thought, which incidentally I am sure won't be too much of a problem for you?!

1Man&HisBMW

Oh god, he's going to start t020 off again when we'd just smoothed his ruffled feathers. Gloom and despondancy riffles across his boyish good looks, shrugs annoyingly and waits, doom laden.

Originally posted by t020
LOL I really have to agree with Monkjack here. No one in their right mind that had the money would CHOOSE to live in Pitsmoor, Burngreave, or any such area. I wouldn't live there if I was paid thousands. All house prices are still steadily increasing in the North but you could hardly call Pitsmoor an up and coming area going through a boom. Lets not kid ourselves now. Having lived in Pitsmoor in the good days of the 60s and 70s i have to agree with t020 that anyone spending that kind of money to live in Pitsmoor would be better spending there money lying on a shrinks chair.
People buying the houses mentioned above will be landlords wanting to rent them out to some unsuspecting student or anyone else wanting to rent a room for whatever reason.
I bet the buyers don't want to live there.
Pitsmoor was the best place to live in the 60s and early 70s but these days its definately a place to avoid.
Now the only people that choose to live there are assylum seekers were compared to what they have moved from might look like a palace.
T020 also has his right to an opinion and he may well live in a more afluant area but you can't hide that Pitsmoor is a dive and i know the area as good as anyone.
I would like to see it rebuilt to 21st century standards because its not the area thats at fault, its the no hopers the council infested it with.
Its been the councils own undoing that the area has declined to the state it is now and if they do rebuild it then it will be to house the assylum seekers.

Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
prostitution around Broomhall - the owners of the properties were at the mercy of these folk

Ho ho...it's the way I read it, not the way you wrote it

:lol:

Many of the private properties let in Pitmoor / Burngreave are owned by people who actually live in the area aswell (usually have familes settled here etc). Sadly it is often the case that the landlords do not spend any money on the houses, I can't see why they don't as I think it makes all the difference in the kind of client they can attract and their property values, which they have seen rise a fair amount recently.

As for renting to "unsuspecting" people, I know of two houses opposite to me where there have been nothing but students living for years, and they have not had any trouble, or been any.

There is a strong rental market in these areas, but I also think Landlords have alot to do when it comes to renting their properties out (ie: better spec housing, and vetted tenants)

Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
Many of the private properties let in Pitmoor / Burngreave are owned by people who actually live in the area aswell (usually have familes settled here etc). Sadly it is often the case that the landlords do not spend any money on the houses, I can't see why they don't as I think it makes all the difference in the kind of client they can attract and their property values, which they have seen rise a fair amount recently.


You are correct, but some landlords will not spend money on housing that will only ever accomodate DSS tenants such as Asylum Seekers or single pensioners. I believe social services place a limit on the amount of rent these people receive, so it may not be viable for the landlord to improve the property.

Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
There is a strong rental market in these areas, but I also think Landlords have alot to do when it comes to renting their properties out (ie: better spec housing, and vetted tenants)


Now that house values have risen in those areas, no doubt some landlords will be increasing their rents too; it will be interesting to see if the quality of rented accomodation rises alongside.

Many thanks for your contributions to this thread, 1Man&hisBMW

Abby,

True, I think this area needs more investment from those who own the private properties here (also the people who live here!) Many of the tenants in the main own their own homes close to me, and own a number of others too. I am doing my level best to persuade them to invest in their property and seek the better clients.

Eventually I know at some point even I will move on from Burngreave / Pitsmoor elsewhere when I am working, but I think that being a surveyor will put me in a better position to offer professional advice to the people in this area (and others like it) to enhance their property and its potential.

Many of the people I am talking to who own their own homes and some 3/4 others which are rented are actually making a loss on their rental income. (ie: they set the rents some 8-10 years ago but have not thought about increases and often rent on verbal contracts with rent then being paid late if at all). People are underestimating the rental values here at the moment, either because of neglect or a misunderstanding of the property and rental market. If people think these areas are full of nothing other then louts and jobless folk, their perception is inherently wrong. You will notice (at least those of you that can tell!) that the Yemini / Arab (who have been longer established here), Somali, Moroccan, Kurd communities that have come to these areas have in a very short space of time opened a number of business, training centres, and many own their properties. An achievement for them, which is beneficial to everybody as it is opening up dead stock of housing / commercial property.

In recent times I have also noticed a demand in housing (better quality) for nurses and students locally.

There is still alot of improvement work to go on here, but at some point in the near future I want to be able to make time available specifically to do that when I'm working as a surveyor, so I can put something back into the neighbourhood (whether living here or not) where I have grown up and made some of the closest and most loyal friends I have.

1Man&HisBMW

Originally posted by 1Man&hisBMW
I always wonder why people in the more "affluent" areas are so ready to down talk other areas, when clearly it is of no concern to them. Maybe this is the way they feel justified in paying over the odds prices in these "affluent" areas, by putting other areas down?


Or it could be the lure of better performing schools, nicer parks, nicer houses, bigger gardens, a lot less crime (e.g. no car torching, no bricks through windows, etc)? Afterall, if you could buy any car it would be a BMW, Merc, Porsche, etc, not a Reliant Robin, Skoda, etc. I think people are very justified in their reasons for choosing to buy in the more 'affluent' suburbs, and I wouldn't call the prices over the odds. I'd call it a price worth paying to avoid certain areas and the type that they breed. I know I can safely walk home through Ecclesall at night without fear of being attacked. Walking through the Manor however might be a different experience altogether. I'm please to live in the Sheffield Hallam area. Its about as near to living down south as you can get when you consider the house prices, peoples salaries, education levels, greenery, etc. If it wasn't, I'd not want to live in Sheffield, or any part of the North, because lets face it, most of its a slum.

LOL! It might not have occured to you that I do by choice have a BMW, and in the past have had a Mercedes (both brand new I might add!) And I live in Burngreave. It strikes me to think, how many years has it been since you left the gold lined diamond encrusted streets of Ecclesall to come and see how the other half live :lol:

On my average run though the area I see cars or all types here such as BMWs, Mercedes and other such HQ marques (folk who actually live here not just passing through). Let me point out that if I wanted to live in Ecclesall (and I mean Ecclesall not Ecclesall Road :) ) I could well do so.

As I have said previously the housing market is reflecting prices way way above what many are worth (in many areas infact), but equally in cash terms when there is a slump or indeed interest rates rise it is the larger properties that are hit hardest in cash value. See you in Ecclesall soon - oh hang on I might upgrade to Whirlow ;) Wouldn't want to associate myself with the local riff-raff now!

1Man&HisBMW

Jesus - this country!

Having just moved here from london I'm a bit confused. I mean we were living in Hackney so my standards may be a bit skewed but we've been walking around Pitsmoor visiting friends (Scott Road for example) and I can't see why people have a problem with it?

According to what has been written I was fortunate not to witness any assaults, be harranged about my offensive white skin or offered any 'brown sugar'.

Its really good to read some of the well informed discussion about sheffield and the history of these areas. Obviously different people are looking for different things - and some can afford more of what they want than others.

I've always felt out of place down south where if you try and have a conversation with someone on the street they'll be shocked and appalled. Here people start chatting for any old excuse - I love it!

I do still worry that as a 'soft southerner' with a posh accent I won't be accepted by the local men in particular although I haven't had any negative experiences yet.

And I think I won't go looking for mates in places like Ecclesall if everyone there hates the north!

Here we go again t020 with the comments about Manor. I feel safe walking around here at night, infact more than safe.... so would you mind taking your out of your rear end and joining the real world!?
Cheers

I am currently looking to buy a house and for the money I can afford without going out of reach of the city, it's got to be Burngreave/Pittsmoor/Firth Park. As far as I can see, these look like areas with shops and good sized solid built houses, which is a lot more than I can say for some of the newer estates. If other people's prejudices are going to keep my house price down then cool (because I'll need the money for my car insurance!!)

Originally posted by t020
I know I can safely walk home through Ecclesall at night without fear of being attacked. Walking through the Manor however might be a different experience altogether. I'm please to live in the Sheffield Hallam area. Its about as near to living down south as you can get when you consider the house prices, peoples salaries, education levels, greenery, etc. If it wasn't, I'd not want to live in Sheffield, or any part of the North, because lets face it, most of its a slum.

I have to laugh at your ignorance as you slag off an estate that you've probably never been to, let alone walked through.

All these areas will have their day.

Take Heeley. I bought my house in Heeley for £37,000 less than four years ago. I've just flogged it for £84,000.

That's starting to approach the kind of value where a lot of first time buyers have trouble - say the two of you on £15,000 each - not unusual - you can only get a mortgage for £75,000. So people will soon be looking for the "next" area that's not yet expensive, like Heeley clearly was four years ago.

It might be Darnall, it might be Pitsmoor, it might be Firth Park. But it will happen.

House near me in Firth Park went up at 75k which I swore was OTT and nobody would pay - has now gone for 85k. Extortionate and ridiculous - we'll have posh people moving in if it carries on like that!

I recently bought a house on burngreave road having living in Netheredge for 5 years. People who slag the area off are slightly out of touch. I know it is not the best area in Sheffield but have not seen any trouble or experienced any problems in the 6 months I have been there. My car is parked on a side street and has not been damaged, I have not been mugged, threatened, burgled. I can't say the same about nether egde any more as my house mate got mugged with bricks whilst we lived there, neighbours were burgled, cars stolen from outside the house, a bench stolen from the garden! Yes these things can happen anywhere but I find the people in Burngreave even say hello when you walk past, the street lighting is very good so I feel safe walking about at any time of the day or night.. Money is being thrown at the area and it is constantly improving. I had the choice of buying a box for 75000 in meersbrook or a reasonable house with a garden in Burngreave, I chose wisely. It is close to town, has excellent bus routes if you need them and has more of a community feeling than any where else in Sheffield. Do not be put off by the stigma attached to the area as it is so much better than it was 10 years ago when I first experienced it.

Neeeeeeeeeeeeeek,

Welcome to Burngreave. Have you tried the Burngreave Wireless Internet Connection? Its free aswell?

1Man&HisBMW

Originally posted by hiyabeing
House near me in Firth Park went up at 75k which I swore was OTT and nobody would pay - has now gone for 85k. Extortionate and ridiculous - we'll have posh people moving in if it carries on like that!

Wow a whole £85k!! Thats expensive........ so long as you go back in time about 10 years +.

please tell me more of this free internet connection of which you speak.....

Originally posted by t020
Wow a whole £85k!! Thats expensive...

Given those houses were going for less than £20k a year ago, I can see Hiyabeing's point

Originally posted by Abdul
Given those houses were going for less than £20k a year ago, I can see Hiyabeing's point

No, the ones on Burngreave Road have always been more than 20k. Its Fir Vale ur thinking of.

I go to Hallam Uni, and I know more people that have been mugged around Ecclesall Road than Burngreave and Pitsmoor.

Muggings and robberies are probably more likely to happen around student areas as they have more expensive items!!

I haven't reviewed this site for a few months, but it's interesting to see that a post I started in June 2003 is still going.

For info I purchased a house on Firth Park Crescent in April 03 for £44k, spent £14k on a refurb and sold in Sept 03 for £85k. I'm happy with the return for 6 months work!

I'm continuing to purchase properties in the area and it will be interesting to see if my prediction of a continued boom is proved to be correct over the next couple of years!:thumbsup:

Originally posted by qazitory
No, the ones on Burngreave Road have always been more than 20k. Its Fir Vale ur thinking of.

I go to Hallam Uni, and I know more people that have been mugged around Ecclesall Road than Burngreave and Pitsmoor.

Muggings and robberies are probably more likely to happen around student areas as they have more expensive items!!

But who'd want to live in a student area anyway?

hey t020, what is it with you??? no friends??? every post you make is negative in one way or another...
Interesting thread apart from your usual pointless coments!

I've lived in fir vale for 4 years and have found it to be very nice. There are some very good local shops so groceries, newsagents etc are close to hand. The chip shop is great, there are lots of takeaways and the shopping areas are usually busy so it feels safer to be around than if it went dead.

There are loads of community projects running in the area- community forums and neighborhood groups, the sheffield companions club for bar/ pub type social stuff, a youth centre, the school is very good and getting better, there is a sheffield colleeg site and just up barnsley road the brand new Longley [park 6th form college. There are adult education courses and evening classes, including english classes for people needing to improve their english skills. It is really easy to get to meadowhall, and close to the M1 for those trips out of sheffield. The busses into town are very very regular. We're right next to the hospital which was handy when my partner got bitten by our dog and we ahd to get to A+E!

The community is very mixed, with white, asian and african/carribean people all living in harmony- especially compared to som other areas where there can soemtimes be antagonism- we don't seem to get that here in fir vale.

There are green spaces to enjoy- crabtree ponds and roe woods, Osgathorpe Park, and other palying fields dotted around.

There are two mosques and two churches, both of which have various activities and opportunities to socialise. There are also social activities run from the northern general. Just up the road between fir vale and firth park is the clocktower and the old firth park library, both of which house various community projects and ativities.

We're also a short ride away from Concord leisure centre which has gentle exercise classes for older people.

We have 2 highly regarded GP surgeries and 2 or three pharmacies.

Overall, the council and the various service agencies- police, health, highways etc really seem to be committed to listening to what resdietns say and making improvements. Houses are being done up, roads re-surfaced, parks getting makeovers, the first community festival was this summer and had 4,000 people through the gate.

So I think it's o.k.

Come on, Osborn House requires serious structural repairs, basically rebuilding from scratch, that is why it was £100k

I used to live on Osgathorpe Road and now live out of town. I travel through quite frequently though, still have family nearby. It's so different from when I remember it, there was the potato bake at Fir Vale and loads of shops there including the post office. It seems to be more ethnic now to me as I drive through. Would love to go and have a nosey in some of the boutiques though!

Let's be honest, there're about the worst areas in Sheffield, and you buy there if you're skint.
i feel iv got to defend pitsmoor etc i moved there in 1998 when i split from my wife ,i lived on spital lane right in the middle of pitsmoor. i was there for five happy years until i moved back to rotherham.i can say with all honesty ivery rarely saw any trouble down there and the pubs were freindly,and i am not what you'ld call the shy type,the only trouble that i found there was not among the residents be they white or black,but with the drug dealers who surfaced in certain areas and you'll probably know who they were,i can honestly say even though im rotherham born and bred,if i could get the same maisonette i would move back tomorrow.Iwent into pitsmoor with the same impression as all the others who have not been there,i was told that,for whites especially ,it was a no go area after dark,rubbish i went into evry pub around there,even the infamous"donkeymans" i never felt threatened and when the locals,black and white,saw you even though i was a stranger,i was made to feel welcome and they put themselves out to get to know you.
Its posts like iv read on here ,comparing it to the gaza strip etc ,that causes tension in these areas,the general population of pitsmoor want nothing else but to live their lives in peace and harmony and as i say,like anywhere else it is the minority,who to be truthful,you hear about bur very rarely see,that gives this place a bad name.So please before you judge the place pay a visit and i bet ,be it day or night,you will be spoken to and greeted by more people than you can imagine,i know i would sooner live there than a lot of other places in sheffield

It will only be a bit of time until Pitsmoor becomes a desirable area. It was once very attractive, the postings on that are right. Some areas have been gentriefied for a while, look at Abbeyfield Road towards Osgathorpe or Norwood Road and Crabtee. Burngreave is bound to follow soon. It has all the features up and coming people want: It is central, it has old housing, it has goodish transport links. The one that is still missing is infrastructure. Where do Pitsmoor people go to do their shopping? Town. Pitsmoor has no supermarket, not even an Aldi or Kwiksave. They will come when the companies see there are people with money in the area.
As someone from the area who lives abroad and comes back only at Christmas, the difference between now and five years ago is amazing on Burngreave Road.
But, alas, Spital Hill seems to get worse....

Pitsmoor had almost nowhere to get anything in the late 60's either. My GrandMother used to brave the main road to get to that funny little postoffice that was sort of perched up on a bit of high ground across from the park. My Grandad used to bus it down to the market in town. What happened to the Catholic boys college on Scott Road, was it De La Salle or something like that. I remember the motorbike dealers at the bottom of Spital Hill in 1970 trying to sell Triumphs and BSA's that nobody wanted.

My family still live on Burngreave road and I agree the area has a bad reputation but really its nowhere near as bad as other areas with teenagers loitering

Youths loitering is a problem in all areas!

I've lived in Burngreave for 5 years now and never had no problems. People are friendly enough and the council's ploughing shedloads of cash into the area, so I'd rather be here in a close knit community with families for neighbours than somewhere like Crookes or Walkley which are overpriced, dirty and your neighbours are likely to be students, which normally means the houses are badly maintained and empty for long periods of time. Give me Burngreave any day!