The Dove & Rainbow, Sheffield

The Dove & Rainbow is a live rock music pub with a stage on the left-hand wall, but there was nothing going on other than some background music during my recent late Wednesday afternoon visit. A small L-shaped serving counter across the mid rear faces banquettes that run under the front windows between the two entrances. To the right are some sofas and a pool table is found far right. The counter supports ten hand pumps that were drawing Dark Star’s Hophead, Hobgoblin Amber and Gold as well as a couple of cider offerings from both Lilleys and Westons. Standard keg was also available alongside Birra Moretti and Laine Brewery’s Mango. There’s no food available, but customers are encouraged to order their Just Eat et al and use plates and cutlery provided. The service was friendly and the Dark Star was decent, but there’s a lot of competition around these parts so I doubt I’ll ever return.

This was one of the first pubs I went to when I moved to Sheffield more than 20 years ago, and I still pop in from time to time. It's got a slightly rough feel to it, not improved by the amateurish and probably temporary repairs that have recently been made to the bench seating and low stools. The atmosphere would be stimulating or off-putting, according to your own taste and character, I suppose. I quite like it in small doses. There are still 10 hand pumps here, though not all in use at the time of my visit. The three cider clips were merely advertising what was available in the boxed polypins I could see behind the counter, I guess, and the other seven pumps had five real ales on: Hobgoblin, Adnams Ghost Ship, Robinsons Trooper, Abbeydale Moonshine and Titanic Plum Porter. Very mainstream beers these days, but my half of Ghost Ship was in good condition, though rather cold and poured with a substantial loose head, that disappeared entirely with my first sip. I'd be happy to come back another time, though not in the evenings when there is live music competing with the three pinball machines.

I think the easiest way to find this pub is to walk through the Bankers Draft and is on your left as you exit. An interesting starting point on Will's Birthday crawl and have to say I thought it was pretty ok. The staff were friendly and jolly, my Abbeydale Moonshine was decent enough. It's a decent size pub this one, with it's pinball machine and pool table at the far end. I imagine it gets very busy in here at weekends. I noticed it's closed on a Sunday. It has a good comprehensive jukebox.

This scruffy rock bar is hidden away in a tricky to locate square, close to Castle Square tram stop. If you’re struggling to find it, one option is to enter the nearby Banker’s Draft Wetherspoons pub, walk straight through it and exit through the rear doors, which will bring you out into the square. As you might expect with a rock pub, things are fairly basic and stripped back, comprising a bare boarded room with a dark wood servery in the mid section and some banquette and low stool seating opposite. To the right, a couple of high tables and stools face some fruit machines, an old shoot ‘em up arcade game and a couple of pinball tables. Beyond is a pool table which stands under a large mural depicting a scene from a rock pub, and an old pub sign for the Fairway and Firkin. At the opposite end of the pub, there is small stage for live music and a juke box which was pumping out some interesting rock and indie tunes. The Dove and Rainbow theme can be found throughout the pub, including on all of the tables which have been painted with dove and/or rainbow images by an enthusiastic artist who may also be responsible for the image of a dove playing a flying V guitar in front of a rainbow, which appears on a mirror on the bar back. Unlike most of the rock bars I’ve frequented over the years, this one has decent beer, with Wadworth Small Beer, Sheffield Brewing Co Five Rivers, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Kelham Island Easy Rider and Bradfield Farmers Bitter available alongside Weston Traditional Scrumpy, Old Rosie and Country Perry. All of the ales are listed on what looks like an old cymbal case, hung next to the bar, which might be useful at busier times. I enjoyed a well kept pint of the Five Rivers and the staff and locals seemed like a friendly bunch. This place won’t win any awards for its aesthetics, but as a music venue I can imagine enjoying a good night out here. The presence of good ale is a definite bonus and I think they have found a nice niche in the city’s beer scene within which to position themselves.