Mission Aborted – Now With New And Improved Pub Crawl

Today’s plan is straightforward. Tim, Clarkey and I will be meeting Jenny at Sheffield station, while Julia heads off to check in to her hotel, as she’s attending a function at Bramall Lane tonight. Except Jenny rings me just past Chesterfield to tell us the game’s off, due to a waterlogged pitch. The weather’s been pretty miserable, with a very thin covering of snow the further north we’ve gone, but nothing to suggest a postponement.

Still, we’re flexible. Julia discovers a friend of hers is shopping in Sheffield, so goes off for lunch with her, while the rest of us meet Jenny in the Tap and decide on a route for a crawl. As Wednesday are at Birmingham in the FA Cup today, this would give us a clear run at pubs like the Hillsborough Hotel, which we’d never usually visit. I ring Ted, to let him know our game’s off. ‘Why don’t you try the Hillsborough Hotel?’ he suggests.

So we plan on the New Barrack Tavern, the Hillsborough Hotel and the University Arms. The New Barrack Tavern is a short trudge down the hill from the Bamforth Street tram stop, and it’s pretty quiet when we arrive. It’s another of the Castle Rock chain, like our old favourite the Vat And Fiddle in Nottingham, and it has a fine selection of their beers on. We settle in the front room and tuck in to bacon, Stilton and mango chutney baguettes. Clarkey’s theme of the afternoon is couples who go out and never say a word to each other, as there’s one sitting in the other room. He’s distracted from his musings when I get a phone call from Ted, who’s in Nailsworth, watching Darlo play Forest Green. ‘Control to Clarkey! Control to Clarkey!’ Apparently, they have a female assistant referee running the line, one he hasn’t seen before, and she’s rather nice. If you’re a connoisseur of such things...

At the Hillsborough Hotel, the plan is to meet up with Tim’s chum, Andy, who’s been running errands. Unfortunately, despite giving him instructions on how to find us, he doesn’t turn up. He’s made it as far as the correct tram stop, then nothing. For all I know, he’s probably still wandering round S6 now...

Tim leaves to catch a train that will get him back into London in time to attend a preview performance of a friend’s play. Clarkey, Jenny and I head for the University Arms, managing to walk straight past it at the first attempt, as it looks more like a university lodge (which it probably once was) than a pub. On the way, we pass the Harley, which describes itself, charmingly, as ‘Sheffield’s home of live music and gin’. A combination you can’t argue with.

The University Arms has been recently refurbished, hence the smell of fresh paint, but it has a definite vibe, and it’s a place we’ll certainly revisit in future. (We’d visit the other two again, but it all depends on where Wednesday are).

Back in London, I go to meet Ted and John Wilson in the Euston Tap. John has to leave once he’s finished his pint, but Ted and I are joined in due course by Paul Dennis and his friend Accrington Dave (to distinguish him from Charlton Dave). A nice, convivial end to an unexpectedly football-free day.