Hello,
yesterday I went on a pub crawl. Shock news, as am sure you would agree, but there was a point. Starting in Crookes at the Punchbowl (or Reet Pizza at the Punchbowl) I was heading for the Red House and then the Ship on Shalesmoor to see how the three recently reopened pubs were faring. This is what I found.
The Punchbowl was busy when I arrived. After talking to the guy from Sheffield's newest micropub - details to follow in next post - I went inside to find dancers and a photographer. The dancers were the Sheffield Steel Tappers or similar - I have seen them in Shakespeares and the Bath Hotel and other venues, they wear red sashes and black and are a friendly and sometimes thirsty bunch. They do traditional dancing, but don't ask me what style. They were also on a pub crawl heading for Shakespeares as it later transpired.....
I went to the bar and bought myself, using a card, two pints - one of Hopcraft Napoleon Complex, and one of their Passage of Least Resistance. I sat down in the left hand side and awaited Wee Keefy.
The Napoleon Complex did not last long and Wee Keefy arrived to find me supping the very easy drinking "POLR" surrounded by families eating. No nauseating screaming bairns I should point out, just groups quietly enjoying the pizza whilst the parents supped. Christingpher joined us later and the pub was getting busier with 30 or 40 customers in. I went to the bar and tried the Reet Pale - for the third consecutive time I have tried it the beer was flat and lacked life or balance and had almost no hoppiness. Does anyone know why Reet Pale is suddenly crap? Instead I had a half of the Tempest Stout, which was lovely.
WK kindly bought us a cider pig pizza to share and this was as delicious as I remember. I know Mt Stephens was worried about the size of this pub and filling it but on every visit so far that has been achieved. I have been in four times now and the pub has always been busy. Looking good for the bowl....
A 32 minute wait for a First Bus 52 followed - to add to the 23 minutes I waited earlier, reminding me that having a First only bus pass adds hours to my weekly wait. A short trip later I got off near the University and headed down Broad Lane, Sidall Street and right down Solly Street to the Red House. Except, I was at the Red House, but it wasn't open. I waited patiently until gone 19.00 but there was no sign of life, just a light on in the entrance behind the locked door.
I'm not going to leap to any conclusions but for a pub so out of the way which had undertaken so little advertising and publicity, being closed on a Saturday night is, at the very least, bizarre. I finally found their Twitter page and tweeted them, only about an hour ago, to ask for their opening times - they haven't even posted any tweets yet, and don't have a description of their pub. The last time I went in, about ten days ago, we were once again the only customrs, and the beer tasted like it had been on for a week or more. I will let you know what, or if, I receive as a reply to my query, soon.
Cutting down the less salubrious back streets of Snow Lane, Smithfield and Allen Street I was soon on the main road and heading for the Ship. Not as brightly lit as it was on its opening weekend the pub was still busy, thronged with punters of all ages and types, soaking up the atmosphere and the ales and kegs and wines. It was, in what is my sixth visit, a busy, popular venue.
There were three cask ales on - Monkeytown Mild from Phoenix,, a Lytham Witch Wood, and Golden Boots from Jolly Sailor. An interesting range, granted, but still not as good as that offered before (and more expensive). I tried and had a pint of the Lytham which reminded me slightly of Taylors Golden Best, a hoppy amber mild in style. It was actually very enjoyable, but the beer range brings me to a comment by Dave Unpro. He said he hadn't been, but the main complaint he had heard was it was described and marketed as a Craft Ale House but did not sell any Craft. I think he is right.
The bottled range is underwhelming in comparison to other local real ale boozers, i.e Shakespeares and the Kelham for starters. The real ale range is sometimes interesting, often uninspiring, and with the exception of the now much less punchy Punk IPA on keg, there hasn't been a strong pale hoppy beer on yet. Sheffield, as ye fules kno, is a pale ale city. Pale ales are surely the popular pint....?
However, putting aside a nonsensical debate on what the chuff is Craft anyway (its is a word, that is all) the pub seems to be doing rather marvelously despite this obvious shortcomig. In fact, I think that Artisan have been quite clever. In introducing a range of less hoppy but sometimes pale, and sometimes unusual real ales with more standard fare, and reinvigorating the decor inside, the pub has managed it seems to retain the regular customers, as well as attracting new ones. It may not sate the desires of the hoppy independent cask and keg ales drinkers, and its cask range for me is quite disappointing, but it has managed to change its identity and retain it customer base. That, readers, is a difficult trick to pull off.
The other issue is that all but the Wellington locally offer an astounding range of changing independent real ales. It would be overly optimistic using four handpumps, to try and compete with that sort of range and availability. I say well done then, to the Ship, for making a successful if mis-marketed transition into the drinking venue, and pub, it has now become.
Overall, assuming the Red House is in fact still open, we have seen three very different pubs reopen since mid September and two at least, have been very successful. The difference between the two that are and the one that isn't is plain and simple - advertising, publicity and promotion. Attracting new customers whilst not, it would seem, alienating regulars. Yes, a couple of blokes walked in the Punchbowl on its first weekend and asked for smoothflow John Smiths and were disappointed not to have it on offer. This doesn't seem to have affected it popularity overall. Meanwhile, am sure some of the Ship's regulars baulk at the higher prices, and miss the Chinese food late on a Friday night, but the pub isn't noticeably suffering a loss of trade. In fact, it has improved.
Its just a shame that the same could not be said of the Red House. Its a cause for concern how little effort was made to attract customers to this traditional back street boozer. I sincerely hope this isn't a false dawn, and that the pub becomes a success in its current form, as opposed to a set of yet more student flats.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
Showing posts with label Red House Sheffield reopens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red House Sheffield reopens. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Thursday, 24 September 2015
The Red House 168 Solly Street Sheffield
Hello,
on Tuesday I sat in a quiet Three Tuns awaiting the chance to visit the Red House, which was reopening, on Solly Street. I was surprised that I hadn't heard anything about its reopening apart from a note on the door, and a mention in the Inn Brief section of Sheffield CAMRA's Beer Matters. So I put a note on Facebook asking for an update. In the end, Mr Cullen confirmed the furniture had only just arrived and they would now reopen tomorrow. So last night, once again sat in the Three Tuns supping Blue Bee Attack of the Geek, now far busier, I joined Matty and Tash to visit the Red House.
When I got in the couple running the pub were sat in the room on the left with Mr Cullen. He had been there about 20 minutes we found out later, and this would have been about 20.45, so depending on when they unlocked the doors there was only 1 customer in after an hour or two, or more, of opening.
The pub is leased from Punch Taverns and the couple are trying to get onto the SIBA list instead of Punch finest cask. This would give them acces to a wider range of real ales. The three real ales on were Castle Rock Harvest Pale, York Guzzler and Abbeydale Moonshine. Matty and Tash had a pint of that and I a pint of the Castle Rock. The beer was clear and tasted OK apart from a slight aftertaste - a bit like the line at the Closed Shop where they had the dark beers prior to refurbishment. After this, we moved onto pints of Moonshine for all three of us, which was in decent form.
The keg lines are mainly continental lager including Budvar and I understand there are some decent bottled beers available as well. Food will be served sooner or later, as will coffee, however neither are as yet available.
There is a young Police dog puppy called Parker there - he is being housed by Craig and Marie who are running the pub. Its good to see a dog friendly boozer in what is more or less the city centre, and for soft spots like me Matty and Tash the dog was a hit.
The decor is quite modern, which is a shame. Every time in the last 10 years I went in the pub it was dark - so I have no idea if when it was closed in 2005 or 2006 the original wood paneling was robbed or ripped out, or had been by previous landlords. I first visited in 1994 and supped Wards bitter and ate some dinner. Then, It was a very well presented traditional back street boozer. I understand the previous incarnation as a venue is not what the pub intends to be, however, what I am not sure of is what the pub is intending to be.....
More to the point, what is the pub's targeat market? Its notoriously difficult to find Solly Street from up near Brook Hill roundabout, easier if you come off Tenter Street, but its surrounded by flats housing mostly overseas students. The Ship on Shalesmoor is in the same situation, although easier to find or spot, and the landlord there once told me that the pub was busy with regulars from all over the city, as there were no locals to visit the pub. I can't see the Red House attracting overses students, so if musicians and lovers of live music aren't to be tempted back, who will be?
I ask this question only because I am chuffed that the pub hasn't closed down, and that they continue to sell real ale, and that there is still a lovely balcony to sit on at the back along with a pleasant room next to the loos to relax in, but I worry that it will struggle to attract sufficient trade.
You may think this is a bit of a doom and gloom review for what is a recently reopened pub - less than 24 hours - but its reopening was not announced anywhere other than in Beer Matters and on the door, and its postponement was not mentioned anywhere apart from on my Facebook page. On that site, as well, the Red House page is still the one which was maintained by the previous tenants. I think they need to promote the pub more!
After Parker had been consigned to the back, two gents came in a stood chatting at the bar and we left about 23.00 and walked down to Shakespeares. I like the fact that its a quiet place to have a pint of real ale and a chat. I just don't know if there are sufficient numbers of drinkers in Sheffield who know, or want, the same. I do, however, wish Craig and Marie all the very best.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
on Tuesday I sat in a quiet Three Tuns awaiting the chance to visit the Red House, which was reopening, on Solly Street. I was surprised that I hadn't heard anything about its reopening apart from a note on the door, and a mention in the Inn Brief section of Sheffield CAMRA's Beer Matters. So I put a note on Facebook asking for an update. In the end, Mr Cullen confirmed the furniture had only just arrived and they would now reopen tomorrow. So last night, once again sat in the Three Tuns supping Blue Bee Attack of the Geek, now far busier, I joined Matty and Tash to visit the Red House.
When I got in the couple running the pub were sat in the room on the left with Mr Cullen. He had been there about 20 minutes we found out later, and this would have been about 20.45, so depending on when they unlocked the doors there was only 1 customer in after an hour or two, or more, of opening.
The pub is leased from Punch Taverns and the couple are trying to get onto the SIBA list instead of Punch finest cask. This would give them acces to a wider range of real ales. The three real ales on were Castle Rock Harvest Pale, York Guzzler and Abbeydale Moonshine. Matty and Tash had a pint of that and I a pint of the Castle Rock. The beer was clear and tasted OK apart from a slight aftertaste - a bit like the line at the Closed Shop where they had the dark beers prior to refurbishment. After this, we moved onto pints of Moonshine for all three of us, which was in decent form.
The keg lines are mainly continental lager including Budvar and I understand there are some decent bottled beers available as well. Food will be served sooner or later, as will coffee, however neither are as yet available.
There is a young Police dog puppy called Parker there - he is being housed by Craig and Marie who are running the pub. Its good to see a dog friendly boozer in what is more or less the city centre, and for soft spots like me Matty and Tash the dog was a hit.
The decor is quite modern, which is a shame. Every time in the last 10 years I went in the pub it was dark - so I have no idea if when it was closed in 2005 or 2006 the original wood paneling was robbed or ripped out, or had been by previous landlords. I first visited in 1994 and supped Wards bitter and ate some dinner. Then, It was a very well presented traditional back street boozer. I understand the previous incarnation as a venue is not what the pub intends to be, however, what I am not sure of is what the pub is intending to be.....
More to the point, what is the pub's targeat market? Its notoriously difficult to find Solly Street from up near Brook Hill roundabout, easier if you come off Tenter Street, but its surrounded by flats housing mostly overseas students. The Ship on Shalesmoor is in the same situation, although easier to find or spot, and the landlord there once told me that the pub was busy with regulars from all over the city, as there were no locals to visit the pub. I can't see the Red House attracting overses students, so if musicians and lovers of live music aren't to be tempted back, who will be?
I ask this question only because I am chuffed that the pub hasn't closed down, and that they continue to sell real ale, and that there is still a lovely balcony to sit on at the back along with a pleasant room next to the loos to relax in, but I worry that it will struggle to attract sufficient trade.
You may think this is a bit of a doom and gloom review for what is a recently reopened pub - less than 24 hours - but its reopening was not announced anywhere other than in Beer Matters and on the door, and its postponement was not mentioned anywhere apart from on my Facebook page. On that site, as well, the Red House page is still the one which was maintained by the previous tenants. I think they need to promote the pub more!
After Parker had been consigned to the back, two gents came in a stood chatting at the bar and we left about 23.00 and walked down to Shakespeares. I like the fact that its a quiet place to have a pint of real ale and a chat. I just don't know if there are sufficient numbers of drinkers in Sheffield who know, or want, the same. I do, however, wish Craig and Marie all the very best.
Cheers!
Wee Beefy
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