retiredmartin

December 31st 2025. Walkley. Sheffield.

Last day of the year, and a relief to be spending it quietly in Sheffield after 2024’s traumas.

The New Year’s Eve fireworks on the 7 hills are sensational, and best viewed from our upstairs window (£10 if you want the best standing position next year).

But before that, a rare new cask outlet in Walkley, 9 minutes up that hill, as the Wobbly Dagger adds an Abbeydale line after a year of cans then keg.

Now, I’m happy to admit to a bit of bias towards the Dagger (or Wobbly, as South Street kidz probably call it).

The landlady cuts Mrs RM’s hair, and I’d hate it, hate it, if her scissors slipped after a bad review.

But I love to see free enterprise work and nice people deservedly succeed. They’ve doubled the size of this cosy neighbourhood bar, added quality food and live music, and the cask is just the icing on the top.

Loads going on here,

the sort of decoration I wouldn’t get away with at RM towers.

Yes, it’s a bit classy cocktail bar in feel for some Pub Men, but there’s a good range of comfy seating,

and everything about the place is high class but unfussy. Just look at this cocktail in cut glass.

“We’ve come to try your real ale” says Mrs RM, menacingly, and the landlord looks a bit nervous as he brings over two pints of Moonshine after the barrel change.

I hope you’ll trust my honesty on beer quality more than my footing, this was perfectly conditioned Moonshine, a clear NBSS 4.

I stay for a rapid second, Mrs RM switches to that cocktail, daringly matched with pork scratchings.

Yes, Sheffield thrives on specialist multi-pump pubs, but it also needs neighbourhood one cask bars like the Wobbly Dagger.