The Botanist - Coming soon

[jake]

Bang on. Let's be clear here - The Botanist chain is not 'up-market'. It serves no better food and drink range than you can get in dozens of other places around Sheffield. It just does so in a fancy way that seems to attract girls. And we all know that if you attract girls, the lads will follow. Just look at places like the Old House where, if you want to get a beer on an early evening, best be prepared to wait for a dozen cocktails to be made first.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's a formula that clearly works. But calling it 'up-market' is quite deluded. Sheffield people are generally more cynical than those in our more 'cosmopolitan' neighbours and see through this, that's all. I suspect it will be busy on opening, like the new Head of Steam. A couple of months later, not so much.

 

I dare say their target audience isnt overly keen on pubs full of middle aged blokes drinking real ale and talking about trains - horses for courses as the old saying goes.

[taxman]

I dare say their target audience isnt overly keen on pubs full of middle aged blokes drinking real ale and talking about trains - horses for courses as the old saying goes.

 

It isn't either or. You can get good places serving great beers and food without all the frippery and stuff on slates that seems to be fashionable nowadays.

 

The Sheffield beer scene no longer consists of beardy middle aged blokes talking about trains. Not when people are happy to spend £6-7 on a pint of decent keg or pay £7 to infinity for decent drinks at Beer Central.

 

But there is still a difference between paying top whack for something good, and paying top whack for the Emperor's New Clothes

[DnAuK]

I dare say their target audience isnt overly keen on pubs full of middle aged blokes drinking real ale and talking about trains - horses for courses as the old saying goes.

 

If you don't want middle-aged blokes in your pub drinking real ale, there's an easy answer to that - don't serve real ale. Unfortunately, many bars have realised it's 'cool' to do so and so give it a nod. Chuck in a couple of words like 'craft' and add a couple of quid a pint to it to keep out all the scrotes who should be in Wetherspoons and you're on to a winner, right?

 

Err...no. People will see through you for what you are. A 'hanger on' with no more clue as to what a modern beer drinker is than the poor deluded fool that thinks we are all into trains.

 

For the record, I prefer craft beer to real ale. I'm not adverse to paying a fiver a third for it if it's really good stuff (about the same as a decent large glass of wine, and don't get me started on cocktails). And I actively avoid any beer that has a train on it's pump clip. But don't let that stop you stereotyping, huh?

[jemson]

Is this open now?

[DnAuK]

Is this open now?

 

Absolutely no sign of it when I last went through Leopold Square. I thought it was becoming another 'Lola-Lo'. But that was a month ago.

[nikki-red]

Is this open now?

 

 

The website says open from September 29th.

[jamesogt]

Absolutely no sign of it when I last went through Leopold Square. I thought it was becoming another 'Lola-Lo'. But that was a month ago.

 

Lola-Lo was the old Varsity opposite Cavendish, that is now opening as Bar and Beyond in the next few weeks.

[crookedspire]

Will people use these Hipster theme park bars with their not so cool prices?

[DnAuK]

Lola-Lo was the old Varsity opposite Cavendish, that is now opening as Bar and Beyond in the next few weeks.

 

Yes I am aware of this. That's not what I meant. I meant it looked liked another bar that promised it was opening and never did. Like Lolo-Lo. Sorry for being unclear.

[DerbyTup]

Went to the one in Chester a few weeks back. Great decor, but nearly £20 for a round of 4 drinks.

 

Probably won't won't be bothering.

 

Yes - price is everything eh in this city? Never mind if it's a lovely place to go that offers something different to what we've got. "Arr much is it?" Comes first.

 

---------- Post added 15-09-2016 at 19:17 ----------

 

Someone should warn them that most Sheffield folk won't pay for quality. In the same place the "Bar & Grill" failed a few years ago because it was too "upmarket" for Sheffield folk in general. It was £18 for steak and chips and one poster on here summed up the attitude perfectly..."I can get fish n chips for a fiver from my local chippy".

 

I spoke once with the owner of Bar & Grill after a nice meal there. He said to me that he had several other restaurants in West Yorkshire which did really well - but Sheffield was not good for him. Folks here just don't seem to appreciate quality stuff and won't pay.

 

That's why Sheffield is a 3rd rate city compared to many of its similar sized (and smaller) rivals.

 

A shame for the minority of us who value quality I think.