losthighway

I've been living in Manchester for over a year now and have returned to Sheffield a couple of times to go out with friends. I don't think the problem with the gay scene is necessarily the good intentions to expand, but simply the state of Sheffield as a city. In short, it's a dump with bugger all to offer - a situation which has never changed in all the 30-odd years i've known it. Various buildings have been erected which looked dated as soon as the first brick hits ground, the half-decent bars are magnets for ****** up straight couples - we went in one and i'm not kidding you, it was like my mate and I were the token gays!! :/ As cities go in the UK Sheffield will never be able to stand proud alongside Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, etc... because it's so insular and as one comedian I saw a couple of months ago stated... full of bigotted backwards hicks... Maybe a bit harsh but certainly not a good state of affairs for a gay scene which can be defined by one pub throughout the years... Dempseys. Sheffield has little to offer people (straight/gay/bi/whatever!) and therefore, any possibility of the gay scene taking off is hindered. Sheffield Pride being a case in point... where's the cash behind it to get decent acts, it's being sold as a family event - fantastic! But it looks more like a family event for straight folk than a celebration/statement of LGBT living/activism. I lived and worked in Sheffield for several years before moving to Manchester and whilst Canal Street is admittedly having an identity crisis as of late, I can honestly say that Sheffield has nothing to entice me back... Yet!

I saw an item on Look North about the wheel the other day and Paul Scrivens was going on about how it's not cost Sheffield folk a penny to erect it. However, it would appear they are drawing their money back through extorionate fees... I know it makes good business sense to do it that way but when I finally saw it for the first time last night, I just can't believe what a complete waste of space it is in Sheffield. Like someone else has said, the views from the city centre aren't exactly sparkling, there is far better views to be seen from elsewhere in the city. Plus, unlike London and say Manchester, Sheffield has no particularly interesting distinguishing momuments or buildings, so up you go and are faced with Meadowhall and a load of ****ty looking 70s deco buildings - oh sorry, that's the new Moor car park they built last year!! Of all the city's that needed a wheel, I really do think Sheffield could have managed without. The only saving grace is it actually takes up relatively little space on Fargate!

I've been three times and it was very nice the first time but the other two times were passable at best. Since then, I've been to the one at Spinningfields in Manchester and it was much better, which like a lot of things when comparing Manchester city life with Sheffield, the Mancs always come out on top!

Cineworld is very over-priced! The only way to get a decent price for a film is to go early and get the early bird rate (about £4.60 i think last time I went). Sadly Cineworld now gets all the films The Showroom used to so if you want to see something a bit different you have to fight through all the gangs of youths who hang about the main entrance and nearby bowling alley smoking weed. The food at Cineworld is also extortionately priced; although its easily accessible via tram and gets a decent selection of films I really would advise going elsewhere if you don't want a serious hit on your wallet. Oddly the Cineworld in Chesterfield is cheaper! The Showroom is looking a bit dilapidated these days and has also hiked up its admission prices but the food remains the best value of all the cinemas. The selection of films ain't so great though since Cineworld got half of their usual fare. As for Odeon and Vue/WB, I haven't been for several years so really couldn't comment on those, although the Odeon used to be OK.

Missed Pride due to illness but it rained like mad here so kind of didn't feel too bad missing it as wasn't up for looking like a drowned rat! Is Climax on at the minute or is it off till the students get back? I was thinking about going, not been in AGES!

Just to say I totally agree... Hui Wei is excellent. Been LOADS of times since it opened and it really is the best chinese in Sheffield by far. There tofu in garlic and chilli is amazing! As for the suggestion that Wok Mania is better and cheaper... cheaper yes but better... erm no! But hey, everyones tastes are different!

I was going to say the same thing... unless you want places full of young bitchy queens, drag queens and really loud music so you can't hear yourself speak, there really is bugger all for older folk (30+) in Sheffield (apart from Dempseys which has put all the other gay bars/clubs to shame by outlasting all of them! I have a lot of respect for Dempseys - whatever the naysayers say!). Sheffield really needs a bear establishment, somewhere older guys/hairy guys/'normal' guys can go/chat/drink/relax. There's certainly the market for it in Sheffied because all of us bugger off to Mancheste/Birmingham at every available opportunity, so something closer to home would be most welcome.

Went into Affinity the other night for the first time in ages and sadly they still don't seem to have sorted out how to provide a dance area and chill area in the same space. My friend and I went to sit at the tables behind the bar but they were packing them away to make room for the zero people waiting to take to the dance floor. So we went and sat in one of the booths near the door and was then treated to music played so loudly that we were unable to talk properly without shouting at each other. Needless to say, we lasted for one drink and moved on to Leopold Square, which seems to be getting a few queer folk these days, were able to sit outside with music playing and actually chat to eac other at a normal volume aswell. Dempseys manages to provide a dance space and a quieter area for folks (like us!) just wanting to chat, so maybe Affinity could try the same by just turning the music down to a reasonable level!?? Just an idea...

Qu: What is meant by 'dirty electro', as mentioned in the original post? I'd be interested in an electro night but it depends what's being played... Are we talking the Alec Empire/Nitzer Ebb/Aphex Twin end of the spectrum or the more pop/dance orientated end?? Don't get me wrong, I like Tiga and Fischerspooner (their third album is great btw) but it would be truly great to hear some more alternative electro being played. I went to Satan's Hollow in Manchester earlier this month and they had it spot on. Oh and 'electro' is far from being in decline as one other poster said, if anything it's currently having a reinvention - just check out Empire's comments about Berlin's current underground scene!

I'd avoid the place; been in a couple of times just for a coffee/chat with friends cos it was close/for ease and the place was a dump. It's not helped, of course, by the fact these 2-4-1 pubs just look really tacky anyway. Interestingly, The Hobby Horse in Chesterfield used to be one but has since had a total make-over from the horrendous purple/yellow decour. I'd recommend going to a Wetherspoons over this place tbh.

The idea of being sat outside House of Fraser in the middle of Meadhowhell really puts me off tbh. I really want to try Yo Sushi but would rather travel down to Nottingham and go to a proper 'restaurant' style environment. It's a real shame they didn't open in Leopold Square.

I don't go out much on the scene these days but heard recently, via a mate over in Manchester, that plans are afoot for another new gay venue in Sheffield. Apparently it's going to be somewhere up near the university. No details as to whether it's a bar/club but I'd presume another bar as it's up that end of town. Anyone else heard of this? Have any details? I'm quite surprised tbh considering Sanctuary has shut down for the minute and the economic climate is hardly sparkling with gold!

Hey folks. Thanks for the replies/advice!

Dempseys is OK, bit of an institution and Climax has its moment but tbh, the other gay places in Sheffield are full of young guys/straight girls/bitchy queens and not all that great for the older crowd (depending what your age is, of course!?). Might be better travelling over to Manchester if you're looking for a bit more variety.

Don't know if other folks have had an e-mail but I got one from the Prodigy mailing list warning that the last three arena shows have had serious issues with pickpocketing and for everyone to be extra vigilant - seems there is a gang going around! So, just be careful with your valuables folks.