Northern Monkey, Hillsborough, Sheffield

A pretty-standard micro shop conversion with decor themed on the Arctic Monkeys. A dark ceiling is highlighted by some fairy lights and dangling foliage, artworks line the walls and a small TV hides in the corner. Not a huge selection of beers on tap, with most of the regulars seeming to be drinking the house lager, of unknown origin but cheap, while two handpumps offered Summer Pale and Barnsley Gold from Acorn. More of a locals' bar than a beer venue.

Routine micro-pub with industrial-style wooden furniture and decoration mostly comprising cartoon posters featuring the expected primates. Also has another, smaller and plainer, room at the back. Disappointing selection from the pair of handpumps - Landlord (£3.90) and Old Peculier - plus a few keg taps. Reasonable local atmosphere, though.

A recent shop conversion, with quite a wide frontage giving plent of light to the interior. The bar is at the back, made of large chunks of recycled timber. There's plenty more of that material, with floor, benches and tables all featuring original or repurposed wood. Walls are mostly bare brick. A nice touch is the way the bench backs have been made by attaching cushions to the walls with belts on hooks. On the bar are four hand pumps, with one unused, one with Tinothy Taylor Landlord and two from local Loxley Brewery. I went for their Damflask, a very nice bitter with a dry finish, in very goos condition. There was some fairly loud background music, with The Jam's Town Called Malice greeting me as I walked in, which was good. I hesitated over whether or not this disqualifies it from being classed as a micropub, along with all the keg beers and the gins, but I reckon on the whole it probably is.