Bessemar/Fountain/Pig and Whistle pub, Leopold street

Hi

we are trying to find someone that worked at Hoolihans in the late 80's called Jane please can you pm any information please.

Think it was the Pig & Whistle.

any info would really be apreciated.

Can anyone tell me what this underground bar is used as now? The doorway is still there to the left of BESSEMAR bar, and the stairs downwards are still there I imagine. It was a massive city centre bar open in the 80's, and the bit that is BEssemar bar was a COMET retail outlet I think?

Then the Fountain bar opened did this occupy the same space as the former Pig and Whistle downstairs, or did it use the upstairs area as well? I am fascinated to trace the layout, as the stairs in Bessemer bar go down to the lower level and its where the toilets are, but I am wondering if these are in fact the old Pig and Whistle toilet areas and the rest of the lower level former bar is all closed off?

The electrical store was Laskey's. It sold computers and stereos.

Do you remember Wilson Peck on the corner? They sold musical instruments and had a large showroom full of organs (ooh, matron).

I always assumed the downstairs of Bessemer was what was the Pig and Whistle but as I was too young to go to the latter I might be wrong.

Yes many good nights spent in the pig and fountain bar used to get packed and had a dj box with music that was also "piped" to several other bars.

I would imagine with a wide stairway being in the middle and the toilets there is probably not as much room left down there as you might think maybe a couple of store rooms.

Yes many good nights spent in the pig and fountain bar used to get packed and had a dj box with music that was also "piped" to several other bars.

 

I would imagine with a wide stairway being in the middle and the toilets there is probably not as much room left down there as you might think maybe a couple of store rooms.

Hmm I remember it being MASSIVE downstairs tho...a very long bar and also lots of alcove type areas. I glass collected there for a while in the late 70's. The only way in and out was the narrow stairs coming up on Leopold Street, I don't remember any other stairs in the bar. But certainly the bar area was bigger than Bessemers is now so must have extended under other ground floor buildings in that block too.

Laskeys yes that was it..The staircase in bessemer leading upwards is the same one that was in LasKeys leading up a balcony display area..lots of gleaming reel to reel machines I recall were up there...

Are we talking about the old Buccaneer here?

Are we talking about the old Buccaneer here?

No I only came to Sheffield in 1975 and that was gone, it was the Pig and Whistle in what was then a fairly new building with Wilson Peck on the left on the corner, and to the right of the Pig it was laskeys hi-fi discount store. Deffo not the Buccaneer which was in a much older building that was demolished before I came to Sheffield, I believe that closed in about 1973 or something like that??

Are we talking about the old Buccaneer here?

My goodness, you're going back a bit there, bullerboY! The Buccaneer was part of the old Grand Hotel - see here.

Another reminder of a gorgeous building razed by our beloved council.

Just checking streetview, the old entrance to the Pig and Whistle is still there to the left of the fire exit from Bessemer with a small step up to the recessed doorway. Through there you went down a flight of stairs and it opened out into a very large and modern (by 1980 standards anyway) underground bar area. I am guessing this had not been open that long in 1980 and may even have had another name before the pig and Whistle. Some of this old bar will be where Bessemer toilets are now, and the rest is under the Fountain Precinzt offices bit, so it was indeed a large downstairs area. One of the biggest bars in City centre in 1980 it was comparable to the size of the Stonehouse with a long bar servery.

very trendy place and was The place to be for the 'New romantics' in 1981/2, otherwise a typical townie 'dress to vaguely impress' venue.

---------- Post added 02-08-2013 at 15:08 ----------

Another reminder of a gorgeous building razed by our beloved council.

and many more going all the time.....they never ever learned this important lesson...DO NOT DEMOLISH YOUR OWN CITY HERITAGE..EVER!!!!

There was nothing much wrong with the Buccaneer building apparently, the Council just wanted to 'modernize'....... the only time demolition of a fine old building can be justified is if its completely beyond economic repair and badly damaged.....NOT JUST BECAUSE THE ******* COUNCIL WANT TO MODERNIZE!!!!

You would think after destroying iconic landmarks like the Gaumont Cinema, Hole in the Road, The Corn Exchange, to name but three out of approx 1500 great buildings that have gone since the 1950's, that they would have realized.....but no.....not interested in heritage....if it's old and beautiful, knock it down!!!!

And the Moor......so many great 1950's/60's buildings gone....for what, an ugly and soul less 'new market'....makes me sick to even go down the Moor....actually sick.......

get your cameras snapping around town because if you blink, another classic building bites the dust........so so sad and no other city in the Uk has lost so many fine old buildings that really ARE NOT IN NEED OF DEMOLITION!!!!