Drove past said pub today to see a smart new sign with pub name "the sheffield" bar and restaurant-change of ownership? some quality in lodge moor? anybody know whats going on?

Noticed the name change too yesterday.

I don't know any details but no one as said anything about a lanlord change and we usually find out any gossip in the Sportsman up the road.

I think they're just trying anything now, it's a right dump and even the old fellers don't go in any more.

They get a lot of ruff customers as well and "restraunt" is stretching it a bit as well.

Asked for gammon in there once, when the new owners took over. When it came it was a slice of cold boiled ham and chips!

I reckon it will get knocked down soon, it's way to big to support a buisiness there.
Then someone will probabaly build some big expensive houses there.

Modesty - I presume you haven't been in the Sheff lately? The new landlord has been there about 8 months or so (probably a little longer) and is slowly turning the place into a pub worth visiting again. I think it's taking a while because it had virtually been run into the ground. It's beginning to feel a nice, clean, comfortable place to go again.

The name change - hardly event of the year dropping the adjective - signals the rebirth of a once brilliant pub. Due to change in legislation he's had to build a disabled person's toilet - hence the pool table has gone; but there's now a dart board which seems to be popular.

The food isn't quite what I'd expect but it's okay. Sometimes there's a jazz duo playing on Sunday lunch - there are the usual Sunday newspapers and it's got a relaxed feel nowadays. This summer hopefully sees terracing being laid down on the front of the building (and the car-park has had a right good tidy-up).

As for the rough people that go in there. Well, there used to be a few, but they've been moved on. It was quite easy, putting Stella and Guinness up to £2.70 a pint seemed to help!

I also like the Sportsman - a real home-from-home down to earth place (with top notch food and beer), but I believe there is room for all three local pubs up here, Sheff, Sportman and Three Merry Lads.

Give the guy at the Sheff a chance. I think you'll be surprised!

Thanks for the info ousey, have lived up here 6 years and been to the sheff once, what a dump. Would be delighted to walk to spider park on an evening and call in for a pint on the way back with the wife and kids. A nice seating area outside is a sure fire way to attract families. The sportsman and merries are great but a bit of a walk for the kids, never understood why the sheff didnt thrive looking at the location and opportunity.

Originally posted by Ousetunes
Give the guy at the Sheff a chance. I think you'll be surprised!

Thanks for the info it sounds really nice.

Got friends that live round the back and I can't believe they hav'nt been in to check.

The pub crawl might just get a little bigger now:thumbsup: Cheers.

I know someone who works there very well, I'm told it's usually empty and the food there isn't worth bothering with. It lost most of it's customers when it changed ownership a few years ago when they put the prices up. Most of the pubs clientel were OAP's, most of which have been put off since then.

My God, this used to be my local back in the early 80's and it was only full of old biddies and retired old sea sogs from the HMS Sheffield. Nice pub back then and real good atmosphere with friendly old folks...

went for a meal 1 year ago and waited 55 minutes for the first course to arrive. There were only about 12 people in in total, so complained a lot, and then the soup arrived cold and the wrong order, so told them to forget it and bring on the main course, a simple enough fish and chip meal. 45 minutes later we were still waiting, and kicked up the biggest fuss I have ever made in a pub when the bar person, who was painting her nails behind the bar, told me the chef was having problems with the equipment. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and waited a further 15 minutes, and demanded to see the Manager. We were told Manager was in Canary ISlands. All the other customers were also compalining as they had not been served either, except a very irate woman who had been given a bowl of icecream when she had ordered a steak!!!!


2 meals then arrived at the table, a horribly cold, hard and barely cooked selection of miserable bleached looking chips, and the most obscene soggy, lank and pathetic bit of fish I have ever seen in my life, including dead fish washed up on Skegness beach at high tide.

Then we all walked out with a lot of verbal abuse to the so called Bar Supervisor, still painting her nails, and refused to pay for anything. Wrote a very frank letter to the Manager, who never even bothered to reply.....

the place now? dont know if I dare go back in it was SOOO bad last year

The new landlord seems to be REALLY trying hard, we went in there for a sunday lunch tother week and it was ok, a bit too much gravy but nicely cooked and hot and quick, also had the home made lasagne before which was great.
The conservatory area is nice to sit in but the inside is a bit weird.
ITs got to be better than more executive style houses in lodge moor anyway ...although NOTHING beats The sportsman for sunday lunch...if you can beat the OAPS back with a stick and actually get a seat...:rolleyes:

Well said Elitest - John, the landlord of the Sheff is indeed slowly transforming the place. As you say, the last thing we want up here is more executive homes (David Wilson took care of that on the old Lodge Moor hospital site).

As for the Sportsman, why don't you book in advance for Sunday lunch and Jill (or Mike) will simply reserve you a table? Only shame about the place is that they don't take cards, which probably explains why it's always full of OAPs. Maybe the poor old dears walk for miles to find a pub which accepts CASH?!!

3 Merry lads also does a SUPERB SUnday roast....and they take the plastic

Originally posted by goldenfleece
3 Merry lads also does a SUPERB SUnday roast....and they take the plastic


Been there many a time on a Sunday. Why, you might even have had the 'pleasure' of listening to me (solo or otherwise) strumming an acoustic guitar sat outside on a sunny day.

Whilst the Sunday roast is normally excellent, I do find that for every 5 meals I have in the 3 Merry Lads, I always have one that's a shocker! Still, it can't be that bad because my family must eat there once every three weeks on average.

Honestly, we're getting more idle the week. Might sell our kitchen soon, it never gets used.

Also the Sportsamn is £1 cheaper...who pays for sunday lunch with plastic anyway.... I like the 3ML ...sort of...but I find the barstaff a bit snotty to be honest...nice paintings tho !

Originally posted by Ousetunes
Been there many a time on a Sunday. Why, you might even have had the 'pleasure' of listening to me (solo or otherwise) strumming an acoustic guitar sat outside on a sunny day.

Whilst the Sunday roast is normally excellent, I do find that for every 5 meals I have in the 3 Merry Lads, I always have one that's a shocker! Still, it can't be that bad because my family must eat there once every three weeks on average.

Honestly, we're getting more idle the week. Might sell our kitchen soon, it never gets used.

Originally posted by Ousetunes
Whilst the Sunday roast is normally excellent, I do find that for every 5 meals I have in the 3 Merry Lads, I always have one that's a shocker!

Quite true!

Used to go in there all the time.. when there still was a 'shiny sheff'... I used to love it when the crew of the HMS Sheffield would come in after their trip in to town.. I would get drunk and try to get the captain to tell me where they were sailing to next, kind of thing,... he never would.

Loving the 3ML more than ever these days!!

leddi - I like all three pubs up on Hallam but I'd class the Sheff as my local. Whilst it is expensive it's becoming a really relaxing place to go. They will be putting the decking up on the front soon and that should be lovely on a summer's evening. All the overgrown plants have been removed round the car-park and I hope more people start to give the place another chance.

The Three Merry Lads is great, good place to take the kids. More often than not the food is very good and if you are a lover of Rioja wine, then the gaffer (John) always has a decent bottle.

The Sportsman is homely and traditional. Personally, I rate their food the best and again, personally their beer range is more to my liking (Magnet and TT Landlord). And 'Bruce's' carvery on Sunday is superb.

They've recently had the upholstery renewed and they're laying new carpets soon.

All in all, we're quite lucky with these pubs because each one offers something different to the others.

Roll on 4 o'clock and I'll be enjoying a Stella in the Sheff!

I couldnt have summarised it better myself !!

I almost fell off of my seat on the bus the other day on my return from a friends house as i gazed out of the window toward the shiny sheff. They have changed the name to The Sheffield and given it a rubbish sign with a rubbish logo! When did this happen???????????

Have not been impressed with the food at The Sportsman at all. However, it is somewhat friendly.

earlier this year...I agree its rubbish....looks totally out of place. The pub is still a dump despite efforts to brighten it up....and the food has not improved at all

Best food round here is THREE MERRY LADS....always SUPERB and great choice......

Originally posted by goldenfleece
. The pub is still a dump despite efforts to brighten it up

No, you're wrong. The place isn't still a dump, it's been cleaned up, improved and transformed into a welcoming place. It's busier now on an evening than it's been in probably the last ten years.

The hanging baskets look nice, there'll be a new terrace (decking) for next summer and inside it's comfortable and arguably the cleanest pub in Hallam.

Karaoke remains popular on Thursday nights, the beer is looked after and it's getting popular again.

The car-park is no longer overgrown, the carpets no longer thread-bare, the beer mats on the bar don't stick to the bar and you no longer need to wipe your feet on the way out!

My only regret is that changing the name was a step too far. The Landlord John said he did it as a way of announcing a new start. I agree he's made many improvements to the pub, but I draw the line at the name change.

We all still call it the Shiny Sheff anyway.

Originally posted by Ousetunes
The hanging baskets look nice, there'll be a new terrace (decking) for next summer and inside it's comfortable and arguably the cleanest pub in Hallam. I agree with this point, i have been three or four times this summer compared with just once in the last 6 years and things seem to be on the up. The deck is long overdue as it seems like you are sat in a carpark when sat outside. The three merry lads is very hit and miss, the sportsman is ok in an old fashioned pub sort of way. It amazes me that nobody has tapped into an obvious market for a quality family orientated eating pub in what is an obviously affluent area.

Herbert - I agree with your post.

Sportsman - excellent home cooked food, some wonderful beers and a nice friendly feel to the pub. Despite new furnishings (and a new carpet on its way?) the pub could still do with a lick of paint and I just wish they could open the windows as, particularly when food is served, the place gets so hot it's uncomfortable.

You hit the nail on the head regarding the Three Merry Lads: Very hit and miss. Usually spot-on until you take a friend along and the food turns out to be poor. It depends very much on which chef is in the kitchen (and IMO things seem to quickly go belly-up once gaffer John is away from the place).

As for the Sheffield, (another landlord called) John is obviously aware of the affluence of the region. His Stella is £2.70, crisps and snacks 55p. Only yesterday I bought:

1 x Carlsberg
1 x 1/2 of Stella
2 x J2O
4 x snacks such as Scampi Fries and Bacon Fries.

This little lot totalled something in the region of £9.65.

Still, I like the place and am very happy with the variety of pubs in the Hallam region.

3 Merry Lads is VERY variable I agree with what you said...its overpriced and the Sunday lunch isnt a patch on The Sportsman,

also theres a weird roll up smoking woman in there whos very aloof and self absorbed who I find off putting,

last time I went in there they had some vile music ( the Wurzels)blasting out so LOUD we couldnt even talk to each other and swore we wouldnt be going back.


I agree Sheff is expensive food isnt bad though and Landlord IS trying hard it seems...I dont agree with the name change...I hate it when pubs do that its so....presumptious...as if customers arent allowed to rely on a pub name...personally I think pubs should be forbidden from changing their names...they should keep what they were born with LOL!!

:cool:

the shinys looking alot better now and i think the food is great now. Shame about the swearing ban though!

swearing ban ???????????????????????????


thats ridiculous....:rant: :gag: :suspect: :loopy:

I know its daft isnt it, i love a good swear and a pint

The Sheffield have a new website to go with the new name - check out

www.thesheffield.co.uk

I've been for food and drink and I thought it was great.