NEW AND SHINY IN SHEFFIELD. THE CANARY, WAVERLEY

January 2026. Waverley. Rotherham.

“What’s new and shiny in Sheff ?” is the Eternal Question asked by beery tourists, and truth is the central “scene” (ugh) has settled down a bit since the Old Shoe, though we’ve now got an upmarket Thornbridge pub and a flashy continental beer bar, so perhaps it’s time for a Brew York now Brew Dog have upped and gone ?

Loads of potential for neighbourhood micros, though, and Waverley’s Olive Lane near the Orgreave mines is a smart pedestrianised street, perfect for bistros and craft bars.

Loads of positive reports about the Canary,

a million miles from your view of a micro formed in Thanet or Sidcup.

Some of these neighbourhood bars have what CAMRA folk would see as fairly uninspiring cask beers, here you get offered tasters on the craft, a couple of Verdants (makes a change from keg Light Bulb),

and an impressive range of non-alcoholic cans for Mrs RM, who actually managed 30 dry days in January, only going off the wagon spectacularly that day in St Annes.

Reminiscent of the spacious craft place in Northstowe, another emerging new town,

and with a Motown soundtrack pumping out at exactly the right volume, it was high quality throughout, the Verdant Best Bitter a chewy NBSS 4.

If only you didn’t need to take a bus from Sheffield Interchange to get there.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

25 thoughts on “NEW AND SHINY IN SHEFFIELD. THE CANARY, WAVERLEY”

    1. Mrs E and I made the mistake of going to Cardiff’s Brewdog in winter. Even with hats, coats, and scarves kept on we had to leave after one as our hands, noses, and ears were going blue.

      That. Is. Not. A. Pub.

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      3. No Martin, opens 4pm today, apparently.

        Paul, no, real ale in good pubs is a rarity here, though things have improved at the Halfway, and the Romilly holds its own, if a tad too chilled for my tastes.

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  2. You’ll change your mind about the convenience of a bus from Sheffield Interchange once you get your bus pass, Martin. Waverley’s an awful long way to walk.

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  3. “so perhaps it’s time for a Brew York now Brew Dog have upped and gone ?”

    All I can think of is ‘flash in the pan’. 😏

    “and Waverley’s Olive Lane near the Orgreave mines is a smart pedestrianised street, perfect for bistros and craft bars.”

    (looks down)
    It’s begging for it!

    “Loads of positive reports about the Canary,”

    (looks down)
    It certainly blends in.

    “here you get offered tasters on the craft,”

    Hey, I kinda like that!
    (Side note on my Vancouver foray; at lunch at my favourite brewpub, I jokingly asked the waitress, when she topped of my wife’s coffee, if that included beer, which it didn’t. But, she came back, after we had paid, to ask if we’d like to pay (!). I said that we’d already paid, and surely that would allow me a top up? She laughed, walked away, and came back with a free top up!) 😊

    “who actually managed 30 dry days in January, only going off the wagon spectacularly that day in St Annes.”

    If you don’t sin, how can you repent?

    “Remiscent of the spacious craft place in Northstowe, another emerging new town,”

    (looks down)
    Love the ‘EY UP’ poster thingy.
    (and ‘remiscent’ is missing an ‘ni’ after ‘mi’ I do believe)

    “If only you didn’t need to take a bus from Sheffield Interchange to get there.”

    Meet them halfway; take one bus, and walk the remainder. 😉

    Cheers

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      1. Yes, the Somers Town Coffee House is about the best I’ve known.
        But last time after my pint had been served I was told it was “card only”. Only replying that I didn’t have a card but could give the right money I was told that that was perfectly acceptable.
        “Card only” usually means card payments preferred.
        Since then I have enjoyed Shepherd Neame’s finest ales across the Euston Road in Mabels Tavern.

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      2. I really must take your advice and revisit Mabel’s, Paul.

        Along with Skinners (when it was Greene King owned ?) Mabel’s was one of the two brewery owned Beer Guide entries at Euston.

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      4. Yes Martin, although my Sheps last month was in the Jamaica Wine House.
        Coffee Houses, Wine Houses, one’s spoilt for choice in our historic capital.

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      5. Yes Lana, and it’s up to the owner how their business is run.
        I’ve encountered a dozen “card only” pubs. In two my proper money wasn’t accepted, as was their prerogative, but in the other ten they understandably didn’t want to lose the sale of a pint.

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