BLAKE’S HEAVEN

Never miss the opportunity for a play on a cult ’70s Sci-Fi series to play to your aged readers, eh ?

Part II of Sheffield : House Hunting for people who just want a decent pub and a tram and a Chinese takeaway within 5 minutes walk.

This was a second viewing on a Saturday, a chance to see whether Sheffield’s suburbs became no-go areas as daytrippers from Donny and Darfield turned up en-masse. Not really.

Actually, looked a bit quieter than our Thursday viewings, particularly without the football and music our big cities feed off.

Great views from the Blake Hotel.

We did the Walkley, er, walk, a bit like doing Nunhead when you visit South That London.

Walkley has 2 plant shops, 3 Chinese takeaways, 47 cafes and a pub selling Stones for £2.60. Mind Made Up.

We didn’t go to the Rose, or to Walkley Beer Co (takeouts only), but pressed on to the Blake, one of Sheff’s GBG stalwarts, perfectly situated opposite Ruskin Park.

I must have gone in c.2012 when it had just been beautifully refurbished, and it’s still the sort of pub to have the Americans salivating.

3pm on a Saturday, filling up but quieter than you’d think, a landlord giving the now customary speech.

“Take a seat, fill in the track and trace, follow the one way system, one at a time in the loos, leave glasses on the table“

I felt sorry for him. “I’m sounding like a stuck record !“.

“We’re trad drinkers, we miss the interaction at the bar” said the next group. I know how they felt.

But you’re allowed to approach the bar to see the wares, and to choose the table closest to the Bass porn, so that’s OK.

Mrs RM was a bit annoyed I didn’t get her a pint of the Embla (“The only one to go for !” said the next customer) and tried to poach my Stout (NBSS 3.5).

Here she is, entering in the Blonde (NBSS 3+) on Untappd.

At 3.30pm, when the toddler kickabout on Ruskin concluded after a VAR review and some families joined the gentlefolk beer tickers.

That’s what you want to see in a pub, not just 10 handpumps.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

9 thoughts on “BLAKE’S HEAVEN”

  1. It’s interesting to me that John Smiths is cheaper (at that place, anyway) than Carling; is that something you find all across the country? I always imagined beers like Carling, Bud, etc, were the cheapest of the cheap. How does the price of Doom Bar typically compare to Carling?

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    1. What deep, philosophical questions those are, Mark. ;-0

      I think John Smiths as the keg ale is generally cheap as chips, but I expect folk on here who study Wetherspoons price will correct me. Bud is rarely cheap here, and nearly always bottled rather than draught. Doom Bar in the cheap sports bars like this (e.g. in those Craft Union pubs I rave about) would be a couple of quid as well.

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    1. Thanks Tand.

      You did indeed read that cask Stones is back, as Sheffield CAMRA posted this on Twitter last month;
      https://www.truenorthbrewco.uk/post/stones-bitter-returns-to-sheffield-with-the-traditional-cask-recipe

      True North is a Sheffield brewery, though one that sounds awfully similar to a number of other oop north.

      I’m not absolutely certain that Stones at £2.60 in the Rose Hotel (I didn’t go in) was the cask or keg, it looked a keg only outlet (pretty much the exception in this bit of Sheff), but I may find out soon.

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