Rutland Arms, Sheffield

First time we have been to this pub that features in the 2012 Good Beer Guide, and found it a comfy pub to be in around 6pm on Friday night, quite busy with conversation buzzing. We were there for the ales and there was a good selection on the bar. Blue Bees Bees Knees Bitter, Blue Bees Nectar Pale, Blue Bees Lustin for Stout, Acorn Blonde, Wychwood Bah Humbug, Greene King Westgate Fireside,Marstons EPA, and Jennings Cumberland and those we tried were in good condition too.

Occupying a prominent street corner position in Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Quarter and close to Hallam University is The Rutland Arms, a pub that is still badged externally as a Tetleys pub, but which still retains evidence on its striking tiled exterior of its earlier days as a Duncan Gilmour & Co Limited house. It’s a comfortable, carpeted, traditionally furnished interior which, through retaining etched windows inscribed as Smoke Room and Tap Room, tells us that it was formerly a two bar pub, with a bar either side of the main entrance. The pleasant interior features framed cartoons for sale and a collection of photos of other Sheffield pubs – eg Kelham Island Tavern, Red Deer. There’s also a few old CAMRA branch certificates – one for Pub of the Month dates back to December 1990. Cans and bottles from various breweries are housed on a high shelf around the wall. There’s also some appealing coloured leaded glass and a Rutland Arms mirror bearing the inscription “Pour Y Parvenir”. Despite its proximity to Hallam University, it doesn’t particularly feel like a student orientated pub, although the opportunity is offered to “get your band on our jukebox” if one feels so inclined. There’s a rather scruffy outside walled beer garden where the main highlight is a striking mural painted on the outside brickwork. On the real beer side, the pub advertises itself as “now featuring 7 local cask ales”. Beers on during my recent late afternoon visit included 2 beers from Barnsley’s Acorn Brewery and several beers from the Blue Monkey Brewery. Both the Acorn Sovereign - £ 2.83p – and a beer called 99 Red Baboons from the Blue Monkey Brewery were fine tasty pints. The pub has made it into the CAMRA 2011 Good Beer Guide. This pub is conveniently close to Sheffield Railway Station and is worth a look in