The Broadfield, Sheffield

The Broadfield official site - www.thebroadfield.com

The Broadfield official site - www.thebroadfield.com

It's a few years since I was here, and I'd noticed in passing that the facade had recently been completely changed. Apparently the pub is now in the same ownership as the York in nearby Broomhill, and the new acquisition has also been completely changed inside. On entering, there is an apparent choice between a lounge to the left and a taproom to the right, but in fact both doors open into the same large room, encompassing the whole pub. The bar is large and fairly centrally placed, and there has been an effort to break up the room into distinct areas. This has been most successful to the right, where a number of glazed partitions, apparently recycled from other locations, serve to screen off several small, cosy areas. There's a railway theme of sorts here, with light fittings and signs from waiting rooms, and luggage racks from pre-war carriages, with appropriate suitcases, presumably empty, lodged in or suspended from them. A few railway photos add to the theme, but not excessively so. On the bar are 10 hand pumps, two with cider and the remainder with mainly local beers. I had the Traditional Bitter from Crown Brewery, which was fine but a little pricey at £3 a pint; I got the feeling I was contributing towards the cost of the refurbishment. Some unusual and interesting music was playing at a reasonable volume and the atmosphere was pleasant and welcoming. This made a change from what I can recall of my previous visit, when the word "threatening" might well have appeared in my review, if I had written one.