retiredmartin

May 2024. Sheffield.

Back home from the Balkans I felt the need for British culture.

Cask beer and Morris dancing at the New Barrack, one of Sheffield’s longest running Guide entries but perhaps a bit unsung of late.

A pleasant evening over the park, down towards Hillsborough’s industrial estates,

where the early arrivals were making an assessment that dancing on the street alongside the A61 might not be the greatest idea.

First time here since pre-football at Wednesday, and the quietest I’ve seen the gorgeous pub rooms.

But the meeting room was packed, and with 3 dozen dancers the cask should be moving, no ?

The Castle Rock beers were good enough, but my assessment that folk who use pubs in 2024 rarely drink much held true.

But it’s a lovely pub to wander,

admire the Bass tat,

and wonder whether these old arcade games take Albanian lek.

The two dance group seemed more interested in discussing lower back pain and transport arrangements than in actually dancing, and I’d finished a second pint of Screech before the action started.

A reminder that, unlike bestiality and asking for a taster, Morris dancing remains “technically” legal but largely confined to the shadows, or in this case the alley behind the pub with a burger van in it.

But I’m glad they do it, even if those ankle bells make a racket, and here’s the video clip you’ve been waiting for.

I think it’s a Dua Lipa cover.