146-148 Gibraltar Street
Kelham Island
Sheffield
S3 8UB
0114 275 5959
Traditional Town Pub
In a city that has more than its fair share of top beer pubs, Shakespeares has twice been voted one of the top four beer bars in England by Rate Beer users. The pub reopened in 2011 after a long closure and with a new focus on beer. They reckon to have sold over 6000 different cask beers since then and (after a later start) over 1000 different keg beers. House beers are Abbeydale Deception and Red Willow Feckless and there are six guests, mainly from northern breweries. There are frequent tap takeovers, especially during Sheffield Beer Week.
It had been a live music pub before the closure and this continued once it reopened. There is music most nights with bands in the room upstairs and folk music sessions downstairs.
It was built as a coaching inn in 1821, and after a few refurbs it still has several rooms. It was owned by longstanding Sheffield brewery Wards for many years and their sign can still be seen on the upper wall (photo 1). There is also a very nice Wards stained glass window in the front right bar (photos 3 & 5). There are lots of old brewery posters, trays and beermats on the walls, and antique items include a jukebox and old handpumps and a small range (photos 4 & 6). In the old tap room at the front there is an elegant grandfather clock (photo 2).
It’s almost compulsory for a Sheffield pub to have a gable end mural and Shakespeares doesn’t disappoint. Theirs is by UK based French artist Florence Blanchard.
Click or tap photo to enlarge. Scroll down for photo downloads.
