retiredmartin

July 2023. Sheffield

Compared to, say, St Albans or Dunfermline, Sheffield has a modest musical history.

1960s – Joe Cocker, 1970s – Human League, 1980s – Def Leppard, 1990s – Pulp, 2000s – Arctic Monkeys..

But it has a vibrant small venue scene that allows foreign bands of all ilks to play throughout the week.

The Dorothy Pax, tucked away in Victoria Quays, host loads of cheap events down in the marina, as well as putting on a free festival to rival Woodstock (’69).

Odd place, Victoria Quays, only 5 minutes from the central Spoons and surrounded by the budget hotels,

but you wouldn’t know it was there and it seems a world apart. Mind you, Castlefield in Manchester is a bit like that.

I’d never been in, and it’s just won a Pub of the Month, and visitors to Manchester are always asking me for pre-emptive tips now the Blind Monkey I said would never make the Guide is in.

It’s the sort of place you expect under the arches in Bristol, or Ramsgate. Look ! They’ve even provided a giant pot plant !

Plenty of musician type folk hovering outside despite the lack of any obvious draw at 5pm. ALL on lager.

So four (4) handpumps (coupled with a huge number of boxed cider) causes some alarm, but you can never go wrong with Cwtch, can you ?

Clearly you can, so I do the little “Excuse me, terribly sorry, I think this may be off” dance.

The cask may be less than perfect but the service is great. The nice lady pours herself a taster (not a pint) some herself, grimaces, then offers me a replacement.

I go for the Snails Bank cider*, and sip it by the water.

Actually I don’t; my photos suggest it took 8 minutes to go from the top photo to this one;

In truth, though cool it was a bit thin, and I had an urgent desire for some more cider elsewhere, and that never ends well, does it ?

*I’m asked “Do you want ice with that ?”. “I don’t THINK so !” I reply