A fourth trip to Sheffield since August, and a second to the University, with an eldest one who seems quite taken with the place. That’s more to do with the computer facilities in The Triangle than the beauty of the architecture though.
Or the pubs. Parents were given a handy little guide to the city, which pleasingly details the brutalist architecture and the contribution of Drenge to the music scene. It also claims Sheffield as the UK real ale capital, though focusing more on microbreweries than pubs, as is the modern way.
Our Student guide on the way to the accommodation tour was more forthcoming, pointing out the charms of the Nottingham House and the York on the trip up Fulwood Road. I resisted the urge to pint out the new micropub on the corner.
During the Q&A session, I asked the important questions (How many girls were on the course ?, Can they stop students playing video games ?). The chap sitting next to me asked about coding and whether students learnt Lovelace, which led to a terrible misunderstanding on my part. He was wearing shoes like this;
Clearly I had to escape during coffee, so nipped into the nearest Beer Guide pub.
I’d had to make a dash for the Red Deer a decade ago as well, running from the Frog & Parrot with 10 minutes before closing time (something pubs used to have before 24 hour opening, of course). My spectacular trip onto the tram line and subsequent tear in my jeans is no doubt still talked about by the folk who were at West Street Tram stop that day. Mrs RM found it very amusing as I recall.
On that Saturday night in 2003, the Deer was cheery and boisterous; this overdue return visit saw it winding down a quieter lunchtime session. It looked and felt perfect for afternoon drinking.
Clearly I love the pubs here, but I’ve commented recently on average beer quality in some of the city’s multi-pump free houses. However gorgeous the Red Deer looks, a Wednesday afternoon pint from a range this big (8 casks) was going to be an acid test. Particularly when I chose the “naturally hazy” Blue Bee Pale.
It was the pint of the year so far (NBSS 4.5), the sort of beer old blokes like me go “Mmmmm” to, and force their wives to taste.
Really, what more could you want ? Cosy seating, beer mats, roaring fire, classic pint, Ella singing to you, no TV or Fruit Machines to disturb the peace.
As I left 20 minutes later the Deer was filling up again with a few groups of staff from the University (no names) and mature couples. They all seemed to go for the Portland Black, on reflection a wise choice.
Clearly the Uni provides quite a bit of custom, unless there really is someone called Mr Economics. I can cope with this sort of reservation.
Right up there with the Cat and the Tap, this ought to be (even) better known.
Clearly the quality of pubs like this will play no part in my son’s decision as to his future; quality of the Wi-Fi will though.
retiredmartin 
Great post. You’re clearly going to enjoy your son’s time at university. Really funny.
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Well put Dave. He’ll probably go for somewhere else now.
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And I still want to have a NBSS 4.5. I believe we topped out at 3.5 in your estimation. That can be my quest.
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1 beer in 100 is NBSS 4, 1 in 250 an NBSS 4.5. Thats twice a year. We’ll find you one next time.
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Was that parent really asking if they had differecne engines? Or does a compting degree these days involve more history than science?
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Clearly some history in the syllabus.
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The presentation for parents covered Turing etc.
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In these days of parental contributions aren’t you all allowed equal votes. Rig the voting and get yourself into Fagans for a hand pulled pint of Tetley’s and admire The Snog mural on the outside wall. A place that’s spawned Richard Hawley, The Everly Pregnant Brothers, and Hendos has to be worth 3 years.
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Good musical taste Sir. Fagans was wonderful, tho. not in GBG recently.
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That pint looks a bit too clear for something billed as “naturally hazy”. Murk fans will be taking it back!
I once had a pint of something billed as “hazy” in the Crown in Stockport which was absolutely crystal clear!
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That was just what I was thinking. If you pay for murk, you ought to get murk !
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I presume that given the Triangle isn’t a triangle and is instead something loosely resembling a triangular prism, that the department of Pure Mathematics, in particular the geometers, do not live in that building.
I consider it important to gain an understanding of early methods in any course relating to computing. I well remember studying Turing Machines as part of a computability course with the marvellous Prof S Barry Cooper. Thus asking about Lovelace is eminently sensible. I confess though I’ve never studied the workings of the Babbage engine.
Who is the Ella singing?
Have you ever awarded NBSS 5?
Thewickingman, Hendo’s is surely the greatest product ever to have come from the West Riding of God’s Own County.
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No idea what you’re talking about. My science expertise is Phyics CSE Grade 4.
Ella is the refrain of Umber-ella of course.
Never given NBSS 5, never will. The chips and curry near the Etihad come close.
I thought Hendos were a band. 😞
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Red Deer was a noted ale house when I was a lad. Now as always, a tour of the decent boozers in Sheffs. requires considerable investment in shoe leather. Kelham Island? We didn’t go that far on holiday!
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Yes I rather liked the Red Deer when I visited some friends who were at uni there 10 years ago – they used to always win the quiz as it included a creative round (build X out of Y). Don’t remember the beer range being that exciting back then though!
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I bet the quiz is still impossible for mortals. Four beers would have been exciting then !
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About 25 years ago two of us from Stafford and one from Sheffield started off with four pints of DBA in the Red Deer, then did a proper pub crawl of Sheffield before ending up in Conisborough where we stayed the night.
Subsequently we had virtually no memory of getting to Conisborough and our time there.
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I can understand that schedule completely. Conisbrough has no recollection of you either.
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– which is just as well, but the “one from Sheffield” actually lives on the edge of Conisbrough which is where we stayed the night. Back at his farmhouse I had the sense not to go onto the malt whiskies and just had one bottle of Belgian beer. A good nights sleep should have been guaranteed but in the middle of it a cat – his wife is very fond of them – landed on me from a shelf above. Sorry, pussy – wrong Mudgie !
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