EVERY PUB IN SHEFFIELD ON FOOT No. 4 – Riverside, Hillsborough
Day 3 of reopening week, as excited as ever, and an afternoon trip to the Hillsborough Spoons.
Closed!
Despite a massive garden, little local competition and a loyal septuagenarian fan base, the Rawson Spring seems to have timed its latest refurbishment entirely wrong.
“That one looks open” says Mrs RM.
I ignore her.
“There’s people on the tables“
But it’s NOT on Sheffield CAMRAs list, so she’s clearly wrong. Probably only open for locals or summat.
“Oh, come on, they might have that John Smiths Smooth you like”
And that was how I ended up in a keg Craft Union pub, rather than one of those actual craft bars Will and BeerMat bang on about.
Cars by the bench, like those cars round the touchline at Highfield Road in the 70s. Everyone aged between 54 and 74, in sharp contrast to the student boozer down the road.
“Have a seat love” said the barmaid serving 2 dozen drinkers simultaneously.
We had the last table. Quite a nice table, unless it rains.
“What ales do you have?” asked Mrs RM, who ought to know better by now.
Good job I’d done the reccie inside and spied the forlorn handpump.
So, my fourth John Smiths Smooth in 3 days, and the best. Cool, not metallic, passing for cask in these uncertain times.
Yes, the actual lacings there.
We’d finished our pints before the 60p change from a fiver returned. Yes, more £2.20 pints. Who needs Spoons.
I doubt we’ll be heading back, with the Fat Cats and Blind Monkeys and Pangolin to come, but it was cheap and cheery and smiley. And you never see that in those craft pubs, do you?
retiredmartin 
(looks around, no replies yet, stretches out and says, in a Yorkshire accent… ‘LUXURY!’) 😉
“EVERY PUB IN SHEFFIELD ON FOOT”
How many is that exactly?
“the Rawson Spring seems to have timed its latest refurbishment entirely wrong.”
Blimey!
Obviously Tim doesn’t have an ‘in’ with the HOP. 😉
“I ignore her.”
Brave man!
“Oh, come on, they might have that John Smiths Smooth you like”
LOL. (slow golf clap)
“rather than one of those actual craft bars Will and BeerMat bang on about.”
Or Alan, if he were still with us.
“Everyone aged between 54 and 74, in sharp contrast to the student boozer down the road.”
Did a mobility scooter cinch the deal?
“We had the last table. Quite a nice table, unless it rains.”
Judging from the way those blokes are laughing a bit of rain won’t put them off!
“So, my fourth John Smiths Smooth in 3 days, and the best. ”
Who ARE you? 🙂
“Who needs Spoons.”
Depends. People who like soup or maybe nostalgic for Romantic Traffic? 😉
“but it was cheap and cheery and smiley. ”
So… the beer equivalent of location, location, location?
Cheers
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Wrong Riverside Martin. 🙂 The one down at Kelham is much better. Several real ales, a riverside garden and CAMRA discount.
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I shall get there this week. Looked packed 😊
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“Pint” is a proper word that has served us well since time immemorial but maybe nowadays we should just ask for a “large glass” of beer.
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