goldenfleece Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 Less than ten years ago West Street was a bit of backwater compared to the vibrant entertainment sector is has become now. Back in 1995 only a fraction of the Bars and pubs existed on West Street, none of them particularly 'trendy' or excessively popular with the majority of the Sheffield drinking crowds. This is a phenomenon perhaps experienced in other cities, but I think what we can call the 'gentrification' of West Street from a run down post-industrial and fairly unimportant street in Sheffield to a thriving social and cultural scene is unique. Around10 years ago the main area of 'general interest' in West Street was the Unemployment benefit office, standing starkly surrounded by semi-derelict workshops and dated looking shops. Many of the Cities unemployed would sign on here, and this would be the only reason for many they would venture into this rather grubby and forlorn looking road. The drinking circuit in the main was not West Street based, but focused more in the Town centre around the Stonehouse, Marples, etc and more established old school city centre pubs. While pub crawls on West Street were not uncommon, they were much less populated than today. West Street was a road of great contrasts 10 years ago, as compared to the rather bland collection of 'trendy' bars we have in place today which has 're-polarised' the road from end to end in terms of social trendiness and drinking patterns. And of course, less than 10 years ago in 1995 there were no housing developments.....at this time the concept of 'city living' had not reached Sheffield....it was still stuck in Manchester and london. So no one actually lived on or closely adjacent to West Street except the pubs with management flats and the previous 1970's Housing association developments off DIvision Street like Flockton Court, etc. At the town end of West Street there was little life before you reached the West Street Hotel, a rather dour venue of very mixed clientele. Before this became FLARES, it was only moderately popular and one of the old school of city pubs. And then the Saddle, re-incarnated from a much older and traditional smaller venue, which stood decaying for many years next door to the rebuild. Moving along we encounter the Hallamshire Hotel, haunt of the alternative crowd and popular gig venue for up and coming local bands. Unmodernised and basic, and popular with the alternative crowd and students, it bears no relation to the modern' town' crowd which now form its clientele. Moving up towards Glossop Road The Mailcoach was busy, although not trendy, prior to becoming an irish theme bar. Across the road the re-invention of the old B Hive pub was nothing like the venue we have today. Just around the corner, the Hornblower was lively and popular, but not in the terms of West Street as we think of today. Certainly on a weekend night you could walk end to end from West Street and not meet fantastic numbers of drunk people on a 'weekend wobble'.....most of them were elsewhere. So when did this great re-polarisation of West Street, and to the same extent, Division Street begin? We can look at say 1997/8 and the opening of the Cavendish Bar, the first of many new bars to be carved out of old inustrial premises and converted for bar use. Or the opening of FLARES, whidch was landmark for Sheffield pubs and a huge success which undoubtably contributed to the refocus of interest in West Street. Just a few thoughts. Something started the massive wave of new bars on this road and it can be traced to possibly the Cavendish opening? Flares? The Mailcoach becoming an Irish theme bar? The Tin Pan Alley late bar/club? Weatherspoons Swim Inn? Supertram? It would be great to have a timeline of what was first to open which was new on West Street, and then what followed in date order. At some point this started to escalate and bars seemed to be opening (and closing) every week!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 There is more to life than allowing it to revolve around pubs. They should all be closed at 8pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekH Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 Originally posted by Yorkie There is more to life than allowing it to revolve around pubs. They should all be closed at 8pm. Before Flairs there was the Millionairs club..A nice place to frequent ...if you knew the bouncers! West Street was always know for the prostitution etc..but they moved them on and the area started to thrive as a good street to go out on a pub crawl. There are still bad ellements on the street but all in all you can have a great night on West street. I think that since they moved the redlight bit/...things have generally got better for the area.....no one wants to be propositioned at every corner whilst pub crawling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenfleece Posted October 10, 2004 Author Share Posted October 10, 2004 I thought Mappin Street was the red light zone rather than spilling out into West Street..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest unners Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 I used to love going in the Behive ,if i remember correctly it used to have a proper red telephone call box inside it. Never felt quite comfortable in the Hallamshire for some reason always seamed an odd mix of people in there. I rememeber how they said that West Street was on its last legs after all the trouble when they where building the Tram,my God how things have changed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrH Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 West St has always been a major pub crawl from the University to town - West End, Hornblower, Beehive, Mailcoach, Saddle, Bath, Red Deer - there's just a few more bars now than there used to be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenfleece Posted October 11, 2004 Author Share Posted October 11, 2004 Originally posted by MrHelicopter West St has always been a major pub crawl from the University to town - West End, Hornblower, Beehive, Mailcoach, Saddle, Bath, Red Deer - there's just a few more bars now than there used to be! agreed.....it just was not FASHIONABLE in the sense that it is today......and the number of bars has easily doubled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick2 Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 We used to go to West Street every weekend as each pub was a bit different and they didn't realy care what you wore or looked like. It's all very townie now and I stopped drinking on West Street when the Halamshire Hotel was done-up and all the regulars dissapeared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick_Turpin Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 West Street has been poor for years now. I'm with Nick. Hallamshire used to be a qulity boozer. I used to enjoy going for a drink down West Street. Whilst all the prats were down Ecclesall road being "seen". Unfortunatly its changed now. Young lasses falling round in next too nowt flashing their a*ses at passing cars. Hundreads of lads with those horrible modern Beckham Mullets AARRGGHHJ i cant say anymore I'm upsetting me sen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyfitsboy Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 I think West Street looks really ugly and un-inviting by night, it needs more colourful lighting schemes on the stuctures. If only the trams would squash a few of the young girls with their asses hanging out and also the drunken yobs who insist on punching the tram windows when they pull into the stops:thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.