I moved to Sheffield and to Hillsborough two years ago. I have always found Hillsborough to be pleasant - friendly people, ample shops and good transport links. Yes the place is not perfect but I can see improvements happening all the time.

People on the Forum are often going on about how Hillsborough was once great and how Supertram has killled it. So what was Hillsborough really like before Supertram? If it was much better back then, how was it better? Specific details please.

If Hillsborough has gone 'downhill' is Supertram really to blame? Local shopping centres like Hillsborough have declined all over the country and they haven't all got trams passing through them.

I lived in Hillsborough when I first came to Sheffield in 1974, Rudyard Road opposite the baths. I can't say it's changed all that much except for the excessive drinking and no 'local' pubs.

The old baths were really useful though, as our boiler went and the landlord took 2 months to repair it. The baths included baths for about 10p which included a towel and soap which proved very handy.

wow lots of hillsbr threads!
i think anywhere in sheffield had good and bad bits, take woodhouse for example. has such a rough rep, but actually friendly if you know people from there. maybe little townships just dont like "outsiders" ?

Max - what do you mean by "no 'local' pubs"?

Do you mean there were some friendlier pubs which have now gone, or just changed? If so, which ones?

Max 1974,
I think you would have been hard pressed to drink 1/2 pt in every pub within 1/2 mile of Hillsborough corner . Shakespeare,Blueball,Crown,Sportsman,Royal,Cambrid ge,Barracks, Masons(Capel Street),Masons Walkley Lane,Queens Ground.Not even been up Holme Lane yet.

Originally posted by Bilge
Max - what do you mean by "no 'local' pubs"?

Do you mean there were some friendlier pubs which have now gone, or just changed? If so, which ones?

I probably mean darts, crib and dominoes type pubs but they're pretty hard to find anywhere I suppose. Put it down to maudlin, middle age whingeing.

Ah, you mean 'proper pubs' . Yes, a dying breed everywhere.

I think all the doms and crib lads are slowly dying off and aren't being replaced, which is rather sad. I always like to see 'em if I happen to find one of those type pubs.

I have lived in Hillsborough almost all my life and love it. We have a great shoping centre, great access to town etc via public transport. We have glorious countryside on our doorstep and friendly lovely people too.

Ok, so Hillsborough Corner looks a bit of a mess as does the end of Taplin Road. Hopefully, once the building works are finished we will have nice new flats and new shops and it will all be worth the hassle.


I do agree with the 'local pubs' comment. I am not one for pubs in general but would never drink in Hillsborough as the pubs are (to me anyway) like impersonal town centre pubs with no real character. I much prefer to go to Crookes.

All this said, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

I don't actually think Supertram is to blame for the deteriation of Hillsborough over the last few years... and I think it would probably be worse if the tram didn't run there. (I am surprised the Owls haven't thought of blaming the tram for their demise, as most other people seem to blame everything bad in Hillsborough on the Supertram!)

I think a lot of the problem is to do with all those big "pubs" opening around Hillsborough corner. It gives the impression that Hillsborough is trying to be too like the city centre (even including the Saturday and Sunday morning urine-flavoured air fresheners on the streets), instead of a local shopping area.

Originally posted by max
I probably mean darts, crib and dominoes type pubs but they're pretty hard to find anywhere I suppose. Put it down to maudlin, middle age whingeing.

I used to really enjoy playing darts, doms and crib in my local wherever I was living. I suspect they've died out as pastimes in pubs because youngsters these days just haven't got the mental arithmetic skills :D

When we lived in Firth Park in the 70s we used to catch the 17 to Hillsborough occasionally just for a change of shopping scene. It had the air of an urban village in those days, a lot less traffic of course and different shops to Firth Park made it a pleasant day out, rounded off with a couple of pints in one of the excellent pubs of that time and fish and chips eaten on the way to the bus stop.

It's still quite a good shoppping centre but a little run down these days. The traffic is horrendous and though it's now our local shopping centre I have to get in and out as quickly as possible.

Originally posted by Greybeard
I used to really enjoy playing darts, doms and crib in my local wherever I was living. I suspect they've died out as pastimes in pubs because youngsters these days just haven't got the mental arithmetic skills :D

I agree, but I suspect it may also have something to do with the fact that kids are brought up on PS2 and X Box, and think it is un-cool to play traditional games like football or darts. I dread the day when pubs install X Boxes instead of pool tables and darts boards. It won't just be darts players who are greatly obese, it will be all the X Box players too. Time to widen the entrances to all the pubs ;)