9th March 2023.
When Tom and Barbara (good not Good) retired from Sheffield’s timeless Fagan’s in January there would have been a few who worried for its future.
Despite being a Sheffield institution, and with THAT Andy Capp painting on the wall, it had been quiet the few times I’d been in there and a pub serving Tetley and Moonshine isn’t going to get on the CAMRA craft crawl come AGM time. And it’s tucked away on Broad Street, oddly both miles from anywhere and minutes from everywhere.
But some young folk with a love for the pub took it on and as the sort of bloke who’d tip up for the opening of an envelope containing the definition of “good beer” I thought I’d best battle the snow on Fagan’s opening night, particularly when Wickingman tipped me off about a surprise beer on the bar.
It looked gorgeous in the snow.
Inside, loads of those YOUNG people you keep reading don’t go to pubs anymore. Perhaps they’ll be going to the CAMRA AGM in April to debate (checks notes) the motion “This Conference agrees the term craft beer is confusing and instructs the National Executive to ensure the term is no longer used in any CAMRA publications and communications”.
Actually, I think that’s the ONLY motion at the AGM. Should be fun, and if it isn’t you can meet Paul Mudge and I in the Brown Bear. Bring your camera.
Sorry, distracted. Yes, it was packed; great to see. Yes, there was a soundtrack of Irish music. And, yes, there was Draught Bass (and Tetley and Moonshine and Hophead, CHOICE fans).
The first Bass in Sheffield since, I dunno, since Pulp were singing about Hendo’s, anyway. Good Bass, shame it wasn’t in a Bass glass but Will got that the next week so all is well.
I’ll take Mrs RM there when it’s quieter and we can get a seat.
Bet she has the Hophead.
retiredmartin 
I received an email notification of your post where these words appeared: “We’ll gloss over a fiver a pint, I think.” When I clicked through to the actual blog, they had disappeared No doubt they had been glossed over.
Well, you can gloss over £5 for a pint but while I can still get good beer at less than £4 a pint, why would I want to go to Fagans? And the Bass was only just NBSS 3, whereas in the Wellington, Bath Hotel, Dog & Partridge, Blake Hotel and Kelham Island Tavern it is consistently 3.5 and above – sometimes well above. And nearly always under £4 a pint – sometimes a lot under.
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Is there a Sheffield pub you would be willing to pay that much extra in? Just curious.
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I often buy more expensive beers in the Crow Inn, where I normally go for the craft keg beers that tend to be stronger than average. Same applies to Shakespeare’s.
I’ve also had a few £5+ beers at the Sheffield Tap this year, which I think is because some of their suppliers have increased their prices – in the last few weeks I’ve noticed that they are holding prices there around the £4 – £4.20 mark.
The Bass at Fagans has the distinction for me of being the only £5 beer I’ve bought in Sheffield this year that is less than 4.5% abv.
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Well spotted, Will (and Dave). I didn’t want the blog to turn into a mini-Discourse with arguments about price, but a fiver a pint is more than Cambridge prices so the whole package would have to be good, e.g. live music, if I was going to go regularly. If the Vaults was to upsticks and relocate to, say, where the Rose Tavern is, I probably would be a regular.
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“I didn’t want the blog to turn into a mini-Discourse with arguments about price.” Sorry. I’ll keep quiet now.
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Obviously I do really.
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I’d like to see more discussions about what defines craft if you would.
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If Stafford Paul won’t drink it, it’s craft.
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“A pub serving Tetley and Moonshine isn’t going to get on the CAMRA craft crawl come AGM time” – so the chance of a quiet pint then ?
It looks like about the eight least useful motions ever, not that motions are what we all go for each year.
“You can meet Paul Mudge and I in the Brown Bear” – yes, and quite probably the first pint beyond the railway station. And that reminds me that I’ve got two nights booked in Humphrey’s Sea Horse during June for a fifty year reunion and for getting round York’s heritage pubs. “We do NOT have TVs in bedrooms” suits me though “but free WIFI is available in bedrooms” is unnecessary.
Thanks. “If Stafford Paul won’t drink it, it’s craft” is the most accurate I’ve read yet.
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I suspect you’ll want to visit Fagan’s with me, or Will if he has a big win at Uttoxeter races, on your visit, Paul.
I had a look at the list of Sam Smiths hotels (https://samuelsmithshotels.co.uk/) and didn’t recognise any of them apart from the Crows Nest in Cleethorpes !
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Martin,
Yes, I would like to revisit Fagans.
I was surprised to see only ten of Humphrey’s 200 pubs offering accommodation. According to WhatPub there are only four pubs named the Sea Horse as two words and I’ve stayed in the other one with accommodation at New Quay. Karaoke was on with the licensee doing a loud rendition of Country Roads so rather different from what i can expect in York.
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I will come along and sing “Country Roads” for you, Paul.
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