May 2026. Sheffield.
A rare Saturday in Sheffield, and a designated “dry” day, which is quite an effort in my hometown.
On a whim, I thought “about time I went to Bramall Lane“, and was a bit miffed to see the Cricketers Arms opposite the ground closed on match day.
I took an aimless stroll round semi-industrial Highfield for a Blades pub;
is that Phil Daniels ?
And spotted the big advert for Heineken 0.0 on the Golden Lion,
a pub where Phil-era Quadrophenia is in vogue, though the soundtrack is Dr Alban’s “It’s My Life”, a very deep song.
You might assume that Sheffield is awash with cask shrines (ugh), but in truth there’s a lot of unmodernised backstreet keg pubs once you leave the centre and the Valley of Beer (sort of ugh).
The Golden Lion hadn’t impressed our intrepid Pubs Galore explorer a decade ago;
but nowadays it’s cosy and comfy and chatty, if not casky.
A quick peer over the bar fails to reveal exciting low alcohol cans,
but I’m happy with draft Heineken 0.0 from their weird dispense kit, which (whisper it) actually tastes like beer. I nearly stayed for a second.
A mixed crowd sat round the corner; I did the anti-social thing and watched the denouement of the Championship season, stuck a score on Untappd,
and headed to the football.
retiredmartin 