The Park, Sheffield

A big place in the Sizzling Grill brand, so half of it given over to family dining but it retains a large bar area, focussed round a dartboard, and generally feels well-managed. The furnishings and decor are pretty much as you would expect. On handpump were Doom Bar and a quite drinkable Abbeydale Moonshine. As mentioned, it is not far from the football ground but more notably it is the last pub for a while if you are heading north.

No doubt hideously busy on match days, but this Sizzling pubco outlet was calm on a Monday lunchtime. Situated in a slightly elevated position, this place looks quite imposing from the street, although the two bars (the larger of which also has further seating / dining areas to one side and the back) have been given the expected anonymous makeover. Two of the three handpumps were in use, dispensing Doom Bar and Abbeydale Moonshine (£3.00).

Called in for a swift pint on the way to the football. It was only a youth team game, so the pub was not rammed. There were a couple of real ales on the bar, my friend had one and I had the Shepherd Neame Rudolph's Reward. I can't remember what his was (Maybe Greene King IPA), but he pulled a similar face to mine when we sat down to drink. Not actually sour, but certainly very old - which was surprising, as the landlady had initially charged us the price of a beer that had been on before she had been away for a couple of days. How did both beers manage to be five or six days old if they'd only gone on the bar in the last day or two? Something not quite adding up there. We just put it down to experience and made a mental note to find a better pub before the game another time.

The Park pages at the Sizzling Pubs site - www.sizzlingpubs.co.uk