PARK (HILL FLATS) LIFE – PART I

Yes, 2 parters now. That’s how exciting my next walk is. Or how desperately short of material I am.

James was impressed by my first tentative excursion into Park Hill, so on the Friday he joined me on a Proper Publess Exploration, armed only with 6 months worth of unused Wetherspoons vouchers (no reasonable offers refused – are they valid in airports airside ?),

and a suspicion that someone would tell me off for taking photos.

The Park Hill Flats tower above the station, but unless you live there or tick venues used in Arctic Monkeys videos or Pulp lyrics you’d never climb to the top of the hill.

When I first started pubbing the North in the early ’90s only Macclesfield had more imposing tower blocks (Victoria Park) in the centre of town.

James said Park Hill “divides opinion” when I asked him what he thought; that’s the sort of woolly opinion you get from 3 years at a Russell Group University.

We approached Park Hill from the Durham Ox and the brutal addition to St. John’s,

and headed up Bernard Street, underneath the careful watch of Hyde Park Terrace;

James, perhaps playing his role too keenly, stopped to admire the Hand Car Wash (one of 307 in Greater Sheffield).

I’d managed to load WhatPub and could see SIX pubs (and two clubs) around the estate that dominates a small suburb with light industrial activity that’s as far from Kelham Island as you’ll get.

ALL six of them closed, leaving 2 members clubs and the Sheffield Tap unexpectedly as the closest real ale outlet.

The dead pubs aren’t as exciting as those two down the hill,

15268694536_5915e8a721_b.jpg
Photo Sheffield’s abandoned pubs: installment 1 | Derelict Places

though my heart leapt for joy when James unexpectedly found the pub sign holder for the Link Inn.

I’d been admiring the art at the windows of the deserted flats behind, so it’s a good job my son has an eye for pub detail. He can come on the next Old Codgers Day Out.

Now, there are only three certainties in life. Death, taxes and an Alan Winfield review (from 1987) and Will Larter photo of a Sheffield estate pub on Pubs Galore.

Picture of The Link Inn

More later, but watch this video for the history.

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.

18 thoughts on “PARK (HILL FLATS) LIFE – PART I”

      1. Aye, ‘appen.

        But cheer up, and have a listen to this.

        I think that it should have been called “Between the sunset and the coconut palm” instead, me.

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  3. It’s a YouTube link which shows the still frame on my Mac with the play button central, courtesy of your blog host I guess.

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  4. When James says Park Hill “divides opinions” I wonder if he is getting it mixed up with Brexit? Always noticed those flats when going by train for football. The CAMRA branches who put closed pubs on Whatpub are heroes.

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  5. “only Macclesfield had more imposing tower blocks (Victoria Park) in the centre of town.” –I shall have to keep an eye out for this next time I’m in Macclesfield. And here I was thinking everything in that town was along the lines of the Waters Green! 😉

    Do you reckon Cathy Price got to that Red Lion? Or would it have already closed by then?

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    1. The Macclesfield tower was pulled down 20 years ago, I saw it happen ! It was a characterful eyesore.

      I’m sorry to say that Cathy was JUST too late for that Red Lion; I think I’d have remembered it as she certainly went to a similarly “unfussy” pub on the edge of Liverpool during that 2014 tour. I’ve added to my blog a picture of the Red Lion in its heyday from one of the many websites with loads of closed Sheffield pubs.

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  6. That brutal estate always catches your eye on arriving at Sheffield Station. I thought they were doing it up and have googled it to see that it’s Grade 11 listed and they are. Possibly in Part 2.

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  7. “armed only with 6 months worth of unused Wetherspoons vouchers (no reasonable offers refused – are they valid in airports airside ?),”

    Good point. Buy the cheapest ticket possible and use that to get thru to security to have a few pints without actually taking the flight. Cheaper than a substantial meal per pint I’ll bet!

    “and a suspicion that someone would tell me off for taking photos.”

    I swear half of what consists of society these days would have made excellent guards at Dachau; or at least snitches for the East German Stasi.

    “The Park Hill Flats tower above the station,”

    No offense, but between that and Castle Court I’m thinking the UK hired a bunch of out of work architects from the Soviet Union back in the day?

    “We approached Park Hill from the Durham Ox”

    Sigh. Just bloody sigh.

    “stopped to admire the Hand Car Wash”

    Can’t say I’d be keen on my car getting what could euphemistically be called a hand job. 😉

    “leaving 2 members clubs and the Sheffield Tap unexpectedly as the closest real ale outlet.”

    Where’s an apostrophe when you need one? 🙂

    “so it’s a good job my son has an eye for pub detail. He can come on the next Old Codgers Day Out.”

    LOL. Indeed!

    “Now, there are only three certainties in life. Death, taxes and an Alan Winfield review (from 1987) and Will Larter photo of a Sheffield estate pub on Pubs Galore.”

    One can always count on Alan. But I’m afraid Pubs Galore will soon be renamed to Pubs No More. 😦

    “More later, but watch this video for the history.”

    All I can say is… crickey.
    (though I did see a 2nd video which explained how it was built in response to the housing crisis after WWII, which does make some sort of sense I guess)

    Cheers

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