The 900 members of the Sheffield & District branch of the Campaign for Real Ale were recently invited to vote for their favourite real ale pubs in Sheffield and North East Derbyshire, from a shortlist of pubs that are either listed in the Good Beer Guide or have won a Pub of the Month award in the last year.

Two winners are announced, a Sheffield Pub of the Year, which goes forward into the Yorkshire regional round of the national competition, and a District Pub of the Year which goes forward into the Derbyshire heat of the East Midlands regional round of the national competition.

This year has seen an encouraging number of new entries in the top twenty, including the Wig & Pen and Dove & Rainbow in the City Centre and the Coach & Horses in Dronfield amongst others, and in all these cases it is recognition that the management and staff have put in a lot of hard work to make their pub amongst the best. It is also good to see such diverse styles of pubs and bars - there are real ale showcase pubs, traditional locals, smart city centre bars and gastropubs, cosy country inns and music based venues, all with one thing in common - quality real ale.

The Sheffield (and overall) winner is once again the Kelham Island Tavern. The Kelham has up to 10 real ales on the bar at a time - three regular beers, the rest constantly changing, there is often something you have never tried before. The pub has friendly staff, a relaxed atmosphere, is always perfectly turned out and has an award winning beer garden, quite an achievement given the location!

The District winner is the Grouse at Longshaw. The pub is a very pleasant country pub in a remote spot by Froggatt Edge run by a very charming couple who have been in charge for many years now. They know their regulars by name and treat them almost like one of the family, and new customers are also made very welcome. The beer range consists of up to four 'popular classics' such as Banks Bitter and Caledonian Deuchars IPA, always in good condition.

THE TOP 20

01 Kelham Island Tavern, Kelham Island
02 Fat Cat, Kelham Island
03 Bath Hotel, City Centre
04 Commercial Inn, Chapeltown
=5 Hillsborough Hotel, Upperthorpe
=5 Devonshire Cat, City Centre
07 Rising Sun, Nether Green
08 Sheaf View, Heeley
09 New Barrack Tavern, Hillsborough
10 Ranmoor Inn, Ranmoor
11 Wellington, Shalesmoor
12 Grouse, Longshaw
13 Harlequin, City Centre
14 Wig & Pen, City Centre
15 Coach & Horses, Dronfield
16 Dove & Rainbow, City Centre
17 Cobden View, Crookes
18 Red Lion, City Centre
19 Millstone, Hathersage
20 Fagans, City Centre

I can't believe Fagan's was at the bottom of the list! What it lacks in the amount of real ales it more than makes up for in quality not to mention the atmosphere, history, music and a fantastically eccentric landlord.

It's the least trendy and pretentious out of all the ale pubs of Sheffield, a wonderful dusty gem that sticks with what's important in a pub. Sheffield will crumble to dust the day that Fagin's becomes something else.

I'm not keen on the Devonshire Cat or Wig and Pen but otherwise it's a good list.

I can't believe Fagan's was at the bottom of the list! What it lacks in the amount of real ales it more than makes up for in quality not to mention the atmosphere, history, music and a fantastically eccentric landlord.

It's the least trendy and pretentious out of all the ale pubs of Sheffield, a wonderful dusty gem that sticks with what's important in a pub. Sheffield will crumble to dust the day that Fagin's becomes something else.

I'm not keen on the Devonshire Cat or Wig and Pen but otherwise it's a good list.


In a way I prefer it to remain largely unknown.

You're right, it's an absolute gem but let's keep that to ourselves eh?

Also, a mention for the New Barrack Tavern. Don't be put off by its exterior; this place is a real ale gold mine.

A dozen real ales and to top it all, a jar of pickled eggs on the back shelf!

Can't believe the commercial was only 4th?!

People dont know what they're missing on the outskirts of the city.

I know, I'm amazed too.

Especially after we gave everyone lovely free food at the Pub of the Month award last year. ;-) I thought that would have "bribed" our way into the number 1 spot!

I know, I'm amazed too.

Especially after we gave everyone lovely free food at the Pub of the Month award last year. ;-) I thought that would have "bribed" our way into the number 1 spot!

Assuming you're one of barstaff at the Commercial, whilst I'm very fond of your pub myself, I took a couple of non-real ale drinkers in there last year and they hated it. Said it was tatty, the seats were uncomfortable and the whole place smelt of chip fat!
Still, you can't please everyone and I'm more than happy to drop in for one of your occasional Durham Brewery ales whenever I'm passing.

I can't believe Fagan's was at the bottom of the list!

Slight pedantic point - it's at the bottom of the list of the top 20. So it's still judged to be one of the 20 best pubs in Sheffield (out of 500 or so?) so this is still a positive recommendation.

I can't believe Fagan's was at the bottom of the list! What it lacks in the amount of real ales it more than makes up for in quality not to mention the atmosphere, history, music and a fantastically eccentric landlord.

Fagan's is a good boozer, however this is for the Real Ale Pub of the year and most of the pubs on the list are superior when it comes to the range of ales available. Fagan's only ever has two ales on which never vary.

In a way I prefer it to remain largely unknown.

You're right, it's an absolute gem but let's keep that to ourselves eh?

Also, a mention for the New Barrack Tavern. Don't be put off by its exterior; this place is a real ale gold mine.

A dozen real ales and to top it all, a jar of pickled eggs on the back shelf!

I take it back Fagins is terrrible, they never have karaoke, 80s theme nights or tooth shatteringly cold Carling. Where is the giant Connect 4 and Jenga for flip's sake?!

I know, I'm amazed too.

Especially after we gave everyone lovely free food at the Pub of the Month award last year. ;-) I thought that would have "bribed" our way into the number 1 spot!

Actually that 4th place spot is something to be proud of as the top 3 are all more or less city centre, so that gives the Commercial the title of best suburban pub in Sheffield!

I can't believe Fagan's was at the bottom of the list! What it lacks in the amount of real ales it more than makes up for in quality not to mention the atmosphere, history, music and a fantastically eccentric landlord.

It's the least trendy and pretentious out of all the ale pubs of Sheffield, a wonderful dusty gem that sticks with what's important in a pub. Sheffield will crumble to dust the day that Fagin's becomes something else.

I'm not keen on the Devonshire Cat or Wig and Pen but otherwise it's a good list.

There are a few hundred pubs in Sheffield that serve real ale, of which 45 qualified for the pub of the year vote - the eligible pubs were those that had either won a pub of the month award or appear in the Good Beer Guide.

So anything that comes in the top 20 is considered a good pub, including Fagans.