Pub 160, Day 59 – The Sheaf View

By Rob

My American friend, Ashley, had been studying in Sheffield for almost a year and had heard lots about Pubquest. She had not yet, however, been along for the wild ride. Spying an opportunity to outsource another blog, Andy and I arranged to visit some pubs in Heeley with Ashley in tow.

We began at The Sheaf View, an eighteenth-century pub in spitting distance of Heeley City Farm. Having fallen into disuse and disrepair in the 20^th century, it was reopened and rebuilt in 1984 by the Pidgeon family (a human family, not the biological Columbidae family of pigeons and doves). Fortunately, Mr Pidgeon’s relatives included an engineer, architect, and soil expert – and the pub roared back into life (only to then falter once more and open, again, in 2000 as the free house we know today).

I’ve always been a huge fan of The Sheaf View on account of its wonderful old-fashioned look, excellent selection of real ales, and pleasant outdoor seating area. Ashley seemed reasonably impressed – it certainly exuded all the qualities one might expect of the stereotypical British pub. Lovers of standard bar staples, like Carling or Smiths, will be disappointed – there are no such offerings at the View. For people striving to drink a different pint in every Sheffield pub, however, it’s a dream come true.

Andy and I each ordered a pint of Monkey Gone to Heaven. From Totally Brewed, it was a banana and coconut cream ale, which I found to be a rather odd mix. It certainly wasn’t the best beer, but neither of us had tried it before (and given the extensive range of beers on offer, we knew we could always stay for an additional tipple).

The chances of that happening significantly increased once we found a free table on the sunlit decking area outdoors. We polished off the pales and each ordered whatever we fancied – I opted for a sour cherry beer, which was delicious.

Sitting there, in the sun, we remarked on how fantastic the Heeley pub scene is. Despite having waited six years to visit on Pubquest, we’d each been here many times with various people. A collection of good pubs all in easy walking distance, surrounded by shops, restaurants, takeaways, and gin bars – it offered something for everyone.

A highly recommended visit!

Pub: The Sheaf View (25 Gleadless Road, S2 3AA)

Rating: 9.5/10

Pint: Monkey Gone to Heaven

Brewery: Totally Brewed (Nottingham)

NEXT UP: An American learns snooker, at the Red Lion...