New Wetherspoons opening - Wards Brewery, Ecclesall Road

[SYorksDeano 10]

The Francis Newton is opening at the former Wards Brewery on 19th Feb

[taxman 12]

Ooh, that doesn't sound good for the prospects of the Devonshire Arms

[Paul2412 10]

The residents of Wards Brewery are up in arms about this, I had a look on the planning portal and it looks like there will be a mass exodus.

 

It does seem a strange place to have been allowed to open up. Right underneath expensive apartments (one was recently for sale for £240,000), no parking close by, nowhere for taxis to stop and a fair way from any other bars.

[olilew 11]

The residents of Wards Brewery are up in arms about this, I had a look on the planning portal and it looks like there will be a mass exodus.

 

It does seem a strange place to have been allowed to open up. Right underneath expensive apartments (one was recently for sale for £240,000), no parking close by, nowhere for taxis to stop and a fair way from any other bars.

 

when these people took the apartments it was always known that there would be retail developments and possibly a pub on the ground floor

[Paul2412 10]

when these people took the apartments it was always known that there would be retail developments and possibly a pub on the ground floor

 

I agree, but there is a bit of a difference between a shop that opens until 5pm or a sophisticated wine/champagne bar and.... Wetherspoons!

[swordfish1 10]

I agree, but there is a bit of a difference between a shop that opens until 5pm or a sophisticated wine/champagne bar and.... Wetherspoons!

 

I showed interest in one of the apartments when work was starting. We were given the impression all that time ago that it was to be a "normal" bar, and not necessarily shops/upmarket wine bar.

Can't see how the owners of the apartments can now complain to be honest.

[dosxuk 10]

Probably better as a spoons than a "sophisticated wine bar". The former have a policy of no music, where as the latter are far more likely to put bands and other noisy entertainments on.

[Sharp87 10]

Probably better as a spoons than a "sophisticated wine bar". The former have a policy of no music, where as the latter are far more likely to put bands and other noisy entertainments on.

 

how dare you post praise of wetherspoons on these forums

[HotPhil 10]

It does seem a strange place to have been allowed to open up. Right underneath expensive apartments (one was recently for sale for £240,000), no parking close by, nowhere for taxis to stop and a fair way from any other bars.

Selling beer in a brewery? Strange? I've not checked recently but for years that space had large signs in it suggesting it was available for someone to make it a bar.

I dare say anyone driving to it can park in the streets around. And taxis will just stop on the main road (or down the turning just before).

It's not far from other bars. There's a pub opposite, then quite a few up Ecclesall Road. And if the new place manages to be better than the Pomona, Varsity and Nursery (not hard really), it may well be a success despite being a Wetherspoons.

[Bilge 34]

Good luck to them, it should get a lot of students and other locals using it. Most of the pubs on Ecclesall Rd are not very good.

 

It's quite a large space within a modern building, so maybe it'll be more like the Benjamin Huntsman than the Bankers Draft.

 

Last time i went in the Devonshire Arms the beer was vile and the place was dirty and freezing cold as the heating wasn't on. It used to be nice in there so I was a bit shocked.

[muddycoffee 10]

The irony of people living in a former brewery complaining about a pub opening on the premises. Of course no one was in any doubt it was always going to be a pub.

 

I actually think it will help the fortunes of the devonshire arms. Many people will be drawn to wetherspons and find the service slow so will pop over the road for a couple until it calms down.

[belperite 11]

Last time i went in the Devonshire Arms the beer was vile and the place was dirty and freezing cold as the heating wasn't on. It used to be nice in there so I was a bit shocked.

 

Yes it has gone right downhill recently, when I went in there was no ale at all, and they hadn't bothered to switch any lights on of a dark afternoon.

 

When that older guy had it (until up to 2-3 years ago), it was always welcoming and always a decent pint.