CHRISTMAS DAY – BASS HUNTING IN BURNGREAVE

What did you do on Christmas Day ?

Because it’s just another day in our (new) house, I wrote blogs, visited blogs, and ensured there was enough beer for Dasher, Comet and Baa Baa Toure.

The pint glasses contain Kelham Island’s Pale Rider and Knight Rider, take-out from the Fat Cat. CAMRA will be delighted to know that the real ale dispensed into milk cartons is by far the best of the bunch. One day all cask will be dispensed into milk cartons.

Mrs RM (Pale Rider, Axe Edge, hangover) insisted on cooking, rather than getting a takeaway in. Here’s our Christmas lunch;

An hour after letting the treacle settle, I tried to rouse the family.

“Get up” I said. “I need new blog material for my loyal readers.”

After half an hour waiting impatiently at the door, we set off towards The Wicker.

What do people do after lunch on Christmas Day ? In the morning I’d see a few folk about with over-excited dogs, in the afternoon no-one was about.

Till we got to Spital Hill, where ALL the shops and takeaways were open.

We could have come here and had lamb curry and mango lassi for Christmas lunch. AND got our hair cut for £8. Next year.

We walked a little further into industrial Burngreave (or is it Pitsmoor ? Sheffield Hatter will know), about which I knew NOTHING. James looked a little alarmed.

It feels a little like Digbeth, but without the classic pubs. Which I guess sounds like Pleck on the edge of Walsall. But wait, what’s this ?

Oooh, that’d look nice outside our door. At that moment, as I turned my attention to the Grapes beyond, the Landlord of the Royal Oak popped out.

“Are y’allright ?” Mrs RM and James died of embarrassment. James hates me taking photos of pubs.

“I was just admiring your Bass lamp“. Honesty is the best policy.

“It’s lovely, isn’t it ?“. He visibly cheered, reassured I was a just a lunatic Bass-hunter rather than Sheffield Council checking for short pints on Christmas Day.

I promised him I’d pop in when pubs re-open as pubs. And you know I will. And I’ll visit the Grapes.

I knew there were dead pubs, and keg pubs in Burngreave, but I didn’t know they’d look as good as this.

“Look at that brown tiling !” I screamed at Mrs RM, who sped on towards the giant Tesco.

The Norfolk Arms aka Club Xes aka nothing at all. Don’t you wish your house frontage looked like this ?

Once again, the only mention I can find of the Norfolk Arms is from the indomitable Sheffield Hatter (that’s a compliment, Will) on Pubs Galore.

EDIT: See Page 92 of the magnificent (and free to download) Sheffield Heritage Pubs Inventory.

Just think. If pubs don’t return soon I’ll be writing about closed pubs in industrial estates forever.

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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.

17 thoughts on “CHRISTMAS DAY – BASS HUNTING IN BURNGREAVE”

      1. Second edition was also available as a hard copy (now sold out) – we did plan for V4 to be a hard copy to be launched at the national CAMRA MW, AGM & Conference which was scheduled for Sheffield City Hall (16/18 April 2021) – however, last week, this event was cancelled ….. revised plan is V4 for Sheffield BF in October – hopefully, hard copy (depends on sponsorship) but V4 will be released, if only as an updated download – more text, more photos …….

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  2. Never been called indomitable before. Thank you.

    The only Burngreave pub I’ve been in was the Royal Oak – keg Stones. Yummy. The Norfolk Arms closed as a pub before I came to Sheffield, and I saw no reason to visit when it was called Xes.

    Norfolk Arms is one of the most frequently seen pub names in the Sheffield area: https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/search.php?search=norfolk+arms. Mostly closed. When the ones that were open reopen, the Norfolk Arms at Grenoside would be worth a visit as it’s run by Stancill Brewery – I’ve not been there since they took it over, but I like the others they are running so will give it a try.

    I’m developing quite a long To Do list.

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  3. What do people do after lunch on Christmas Day? They resist being roused. Your family is lucky you persisted. What great shots of the pubs. I cannot wait to see the insides. Go vaccine!!

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  4. In the cooks defence there was a full roast dinner with 6 different veggies and Yorkshire puddings. You did not just have scruffy homemade treacle pud! 😉

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  5. To be fair, you have done a grave disservice to that chef you employ. She deserves more than the minimum wage you pay her. Semi-certain I went to the Norfolk Arms in the 80’s. Grapes looks gorgeous.

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  6. “What did you do on Christmas Day ?”

    See my post in your June review. 😉

    “and ensured there was enough beer for Dasher, Comet and Baa Baa Toure.”

    Either Dasher or Comet looks a bit like Rudolph.

    “One day all cask will be dispensed into milk cartons.”

    Blimey.

    “Here’s our Christmas lunch;”

    Is it… alive?

    ““I need new blog material for my loyal readers.””

    You were doing well with just the hangover reference. 😉

    “in the afternoon no-one was about.”

    I thought it was illegal to be out and about?

    “where ALL the shops and takeaways were open.”

    Three out of five in the photo seem to be closed.

    “Oooh, that’d look nice outside our door. ”

    Good eye, if you noticed from the side as you walked along.

    “Honesty is the best policy.”

    There’s that legendary sarcasm again. 😉

    “And I’ll visit the Grapes.”

    Do they have rooms to let upstairs?
    (when they’re open, of course)

    ““Look at that brown tiling !” I screamed at Mrs RM,”

    Indeed.

    “Don’t you wish your house frontage looked like this ?”

    Um, I don’t think I’d want to go THAT far.

    Cheers

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