Tap and Tankard, Cambridge St (former Sportsman pub)

[Bilge]

I went there tonight and thought it was great. I always thought there wasn't a lot wrong with it before except it was scruffy, the beer was awful and there was only one type of customer there (heavy rock types). So it could easily be scrubbed up into a good pub again without much expense or change.

 

It's now clean, the beer is good (e.g. the Pride of Sheffield is tasty and beautifully creamy and not too strong) and there was a range of punters in and no horrible embarrassing heavy metal music.

 

Basically it's just 'a normal pub' that I will happily visit again. No theme, no nonsense. Great stuff. Well done Kelham Island ales.

[PeteM01]

Agreed - it is a very nice place now. We visited last week on BPD Thursday and enjoyed some good beers and the calm ambience. Nothing exciting but a welcome addition to the city centre, nonetheless.

[cityspinner]

I went there tonight and thought it was great. I always thought there wasn't a lot wrong with it before except it was scruffy, the beer was awful and there was only one type of customer there (heavy rock types). So it could easily be scrubbed up into a good pub again without much expense or change.

 

It's now clean, the beer is good (e.g. the Pride of Sheffield is tasty and beautifully creamy and not too strong) and there was a range of punters in and no horrible embarrassing heavy metal music.

 

Basically it's just 'a normal pub' that I will happily visit again. No theme, no nonsense. Great stuff. Well done Kelham Island ales.

 

Silly to compare the 2.

The Sportsman was a Rock Bar where the music was more important than the beer quality. This has now moved to the Yorkshireman.

There's room for both types of pub in my opinion.

I was in T&T on Thurs and love the KI beers so I was well happy though some music would help the atmosphere I think but I realise it's not everyone's wish.

[belperite]

I like what they've done with it - a nice, cosy, traditional respite from the shops and some of the more generic bars of the area. A bit like the Red Deer in that regard. When I went in they had the KI beers and some RAW beers too. V. good. The "craft" guys may not be keen, as no keg to speak of, but hey, there's plenty of alternatives nearby - we're spoiled in Sheff for beer

[Stoatwobbler]

Visited on Saturday. You wouldn't know that it's a new pub. It feels like it's been a real ale pub for some time.

 

Decent range, and something of a quiet oasis.

[mr craig]

The "craft" guys may not be keen, as no keg to speak of, but hey, there's plenty of alternatives nearby - we're spoiled in Sheff for beer

 

The bad seed IPA on keg was tasting fine when i went in.

[Bilge]

Silly to compare the 2.

The Sportsman was a Rock Bar where the music was more important than the beer quality. This has now moved to the Yorkshireman.

There's room for both types of pub in my opinion.

I was in T&T on Thurs and love the KI beers so I was well happy though some music would help the atmosphere I think but I realise it's not everyone's wish.

 

As the 2 businesses occupied the same premises and it hasn't changed that much, then to compare them is inevitable rather than silly. You're right there is room for both and I hope the Yorkshireman does well too.

 

I also agree about music, there are too many real ale theme pubs going for a 'no music' policy. It's fine when it's full and buzzing but can make for a funny atmosphere when there's almost nobody in. You need a bit of background mood music sometimes.

[SteelCityAle]

I'm firmly in the 'no music' camp... though that's partly cos there's no pub in Sheffield that manages both good beer and good music*! Dove & Rainbow plays good music but the beer is at best uninspiring... whereas the 'proper' pubs that do play music inevitably play awful middle-of-the-road tosh

 

The only exception is pubs like the Rutland that have a jukebox with a wide spectrum, but this of course means putting ones hand in ones pocket (or hoping someone else that does so has good taste!)

 

* 'good music' is of course in the ear of the beholder... which is why it's impossible to please everyone!

 

still, could be worse. at least none of the good pubs play j*zz!

[jemson]

I quite like it. A decent retreat to sit and read the paper.

 

There is a gap in the market though for a pub that sells great ale at decent prices, has an eclectic range of (noisy) music and shows select sports events live. .....

Edited January 5, 2015 by jemson

[DnAuK]

I quite like it. A decent retreat to sit and read the paper.

 

There is a gap in the market though for a pub that sells great ale at decent prices, has an eclectic range of (noisy) music and shows select sports events live. .....

 

After a visit to Leeds on Saturday where I visited not one but EIGHT new good beer bars that have opened over the course of the last year, I can tell you there is a significant gap in Sheffield's pub market. For many different tastes.