The Harlequin, Kelham Island, Sheffield

The former Manchester gained its current name around 2008, at which time the S. H. Ward's brewery windows were removed. As described below, this was a very decent stopover on our crawl and I enjoyed my Animal Brewing's Hop Kitty - most enjoyable, especially so given the £1.65 a half price. Would certainly return.

At this point of the recent Pubs Galore crawl of Sheffield I found myself taking a detour with the group apple juice slurper to visit this regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Cider pub of the year award. A decent looking corner Victorian pub and I liked the way it was still surrounded by brick buildings of the Sheffield industrial era. Once inside somehow I completely missed the Exit 33 beers, presumably because I was distracted by the pumps on the main bar section carrying the guest ales which included Oakham Citra, XT Brewing Hop Kitty and Moor Brewery Nor Hop alongside Hawkshead Brewery Lakeland Gold, Tapped Brew Company Station Porter and Dark Revolution Luminous, and the Nor Hop was in fine form. I cannot comment on the cider but according to the chalk board dedicated to alcoholic apple and pear beverages there must have been a choice of over 16 of them. I wasn’t as drawn to the interior decor of this carpeted single room pub as others seem to have been but it is certainly spacious and perhaps the fact that there wasn’t many in didn’t help the overall ambience during our visit.

It was fairly quiet in here at the time of my most recent visit, around knocking off time on a Friday. Numerous hand pumps featured three Exit 33 beers and five guests (plus a guest keg from Sheffield's newest brewery, St Mars of the Desert - see photo); there were also, as always, plentiful cider offerings. There was nothing wrong with my beer, a pale one from Great Heck, but I found the background music intrusive, varying as it did between annoying and very annoying. Other than that, this is a comfortable enough pub that I have somehow never really warmed to. Others may find it more to their taste.

Following another change of ownership, the Harlequin is now a showcase for the beers of Exit 33 Brewery, based just the other side of the city centre in the Park Hill area, and not nearly as close to the M1 as its name implies. Their Blonde and New England Best are always available on two hand pumps at the short side of the bar facing the entrance, while innumerable other pumps dispense a mixture of a rotating selection from Exit 33 plus guests, and four more on the far end (opposite the cider board) dispense ciders. In my experience the beers are always in good condition, my only grouse being the preponderance of new world hops. Having said that, the New England Best is very quaffable and my default selection if I'm not in the mood for a stout. My main reasons for not attending this pub more often would be the likelihood of having my senses assailed by either the smell of roast meat or the sound of folk music. Oh, and the fact that I would have to pass both the Kelham Island Tavern and the Fat Cat to get here. If none of those quibbles apply, it would have to be a must-visit if in the area.

Derby Blonde Escape & Outrageous Drop, Blakemere Ferrier's Fettle, OPA Hay's Engel's Porter, Goffs White Knight, Bradfield Farmers Blonde, JS Magnet, Bollington Happy Valley, Milestone ‘Classic Dark Mild', Brew Co Winter Tan, Goose Eye Owa Th'ill, 1 unclipped, beers dispensed in over-size glasses. Carpetted open plan room winds around the bar, banquette surround seating, cushioned stools, wood tables, down a step to an area with piano, dartboard in far corner. Varying soundtrack (Acker Bilk, Rock&Roll, Motown), live music seems to lean toward blues – Tim Rodwell last Thurs, another band Sat. The ‘what's on' board noted Mon–Ales from £1.50, Tues–Folk Nt, Wed–Quiz, Thurs–live music (TR), Fri–free buffet, Sat–Ale in the afternoon (I asked–was told ‘just sit & drink!'). Not architecturally characterful but a great deal to like here–a pub obviously making an effort, and a marvellous beer line-up. Fairly busy & chatty on my visit. Recommended.

This is another great old boozer just across the way from the Kelham Island pubs. It's one large room with a carpet so somewhat different to the other pubs in the area but at least there is room to swing a cat, a fat one at that. I noticed there was a dart board in here as well, the only one I had managed to spot on the day. Amongst the many handpumps there were four Sky's Edge beers so I went for their Rum Cask Stout (£2.80) which was in first class condition. I was happier having a pint here than the busy and more famous places up the road.