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Detail Pages
The Rawson Spring (Lloyds No 1), Sheffield
Hillsborough
Postal town: Sheffield
S6 2LN
Pub Type
Lloyds No. 1 (J D Wetherspoon)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Rawson Spring (Lloyds No 1)
With a tram stop and a bus station (the Hillsborough Interchange) opposite, this branch of Wetherspoon's was a convenient place to start a crawl of pubs to the north of Sheffield city centre.
Housed in the former Hillsborough Swimming Baths, there is a large central room, with a number of smaller rooms to the front of the building. The bar itself is long and in the main central room. The usual 'spoon's real ales were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar, along with 7 guests - Brain's SA, Cairngorm Nessie's Monster Mash, Pheasantry Excitra, Green Jack Lurcher Stout, Arkell's Kingsdown, Loddon Dragonfly & Thornbridge Jaipur. Bag-in-the-box ciders were Weston's Old Rosie & Broadoak Moonshine.
As Wetherspoon pubs go, this one is above average. As pubs in Sheffield go, there are many better.
On 1st February 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Graham Coombs left this review about The Rawson Spring (Lloyds No 1)
A pretty good Spoons, as has been mentioned before housed in the splendid building of the former Hillsborough Baths. The long rows of tables in the main room are a bit regimented, but apart from that it ticks all the required boxes and several more besides, with a good selection of ales (5 or so guests), a large outdoor area and even a ground floor (and quite palatial) gents. Most importantly, you can step off the tram straight into the front door!
On 23rd June 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Rawson Spring (Lloyds No 1)
I have been to the Rawson Spring at least twice previously, once in 2015 and again in 2017. It was on my way out last time that I noticed the entrance to the beer garden, so as it was a nice sunny day yesterday while I was in the area I decided to check it out.
Ten hand pulls at the bar (split across two banks), offering at least three dark beers and a cider in addition to a few guest pale ales and the Spoons holy trinity.
Service was efficient and pleasant (unlike on my previous trip) and I was even asked if I wanted a top up even though it clearly wasn't necessary (and quite possibly not physically possible). I had the Little Critters Coco Nutter, £2.15 for a pint (£1.08 for a half). This was a nice 6% coconut stout in decent condition and can't knock the value for money aspect.
The beer garden was bigger than expected and made for a nice sun trap. It looks like there may be an outdoor bar in the lower section too.
No sign of any TV sports at the time of my visit, nice and quiet in that respect.
On 17th July 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Rawson Spring (Lloyds No1)
This hopeless Spoons is a Lloyds No 1. As noted below it's a swimming pool conversion with a few smaller areas at the front. The hideous shed further back was totally dominated by a huge projector screen showing rubbish sport plus countless other TV screens. What it must be like when the nearby team are at home doesn't bear thinking about.
The bar has two banks of five hand pumps which had the JDW Trio Of Doom, a cider, Spitfire, Daleside Monkey Wrench, Kelham Island Singing The Blues, RCH East Street Cream, Caledonian Edinburgh Castle and Bradfield Farmers Blonde. I went for the Monkey Wrench (£2.30) which was reasonable.
I'm glad to report that this is no longer GBG listed and it gets a point or two for not having any available soon, duplicates or blanks. Happily a fair number of Lloyds No 1s have been lost in the recent JDW offloading of outlets.
On 22nd February 2017
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Rawson Spring (JD Wetherspoon)
Apart from a couple of small seating areas just inside the entrance, the seating is to be found in the large rectangular bar area beyond (once a swimming pool). Unfortunately, no use has been found for the former balcony so that is just wasted space. Eight of ten handpumps in operation, with a fairly dull selection (of which, Adnams Barley Mow was the best bet). Very loud early on a Saturday night, with groups glammed-up in readiness for an evening out in the city centre.
On 9th November 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Rawson Spring (JD Wetherspoon)
This large Wetherspoons pub, converted from the former Hillsborough Swimming Baths is located right next to the Hillsborough tram stop, making it easily accessible and very popular when Sheffield Wednesday are playing at home, as they were on my visit. The layout of the pub reflects the building’s former use, with a large rectangular open plan room where the pool would have been and a viewing gallery running around three sides of the room, although it doesn’t appear to be open nowadays. The servery runs along the right hand side of the room and moving from right to left from the bar there are rows of high tables and stools, standard tables and chairs and finally booths along the left hand wall. The ceiling is very high and has a number of skylights as well as some very large lampshades. A large screen was on showing the early kick off in the Premier League, which could also be viewed on several TV’s mounted along the balcony. Appropriately there are a number boards near the front of the pub detailing the history of Sheffield Wednesday with pictures of some of their more famous players.
There was something in the range of 10-12 hand pumps on the bar dispensing a mixture of ‘Spoon’s regulars and guest ales. I tried a pint of the Millstone APA which I thought was past its best and certainly served far too cold – a bit disappointing for a GBG listed pub. Given the huge crowd at the bar, I expected a bit of a wait to get served, but it was frustrating to see that they had staffed the bar with plenty of people to deal with the queues only for them to be very slow and bumbling when dealing with the orders.
I only had a very brief visit here before heading off to the match, but in spite of the dubious pint and sloppy service, I was generally impressed by the place and although I would prefer to stop at the Hillsborough Hotel for a pre-match pint, I still think this is a decent alternative that will suit a lot of people.
On 13th April 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Rawson Spring (JD Wetherspoon)
This is one of the better Wetherspoons i have been in and its handy if getting the tram from Sheffield as it stops right outside.
Once inside here i was impressed with the building which was converted from old swimming baths,the bar was to the right with a good choice of real ales i sat in the middle of the room as it was empty and looked round the pub which was very nice the balcony looked quite nice.
I car'nt remember what i had to drink here but it was a decent drink.
On 16th November 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Rawson Spring (JD Wetherspoon)
Went into Sheffield to do a crawl round some of the City's best pubs along the Hillsborough tram route, and started at the Hillsborough end this time with this JDW Pub which is in the 2011 Good Beer Guide. The tram stop is outside and there is a good first impression on entering as you don't walk straight into a large cavern of a room, but at the entrance there are a couple of smaller rooms on either side before entering the large cavern. Not bad inside and I haven't had bad experiences with beer here, and this time round enjoyed the Wentworth Meathead.
On 24th October 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Rawson Spring (JD Wetherspoon)
Large JDW converted from a swimming baths, named after a spring that used to supply the nearby Hillsborough Barracks. This pub is in the GBG 2010 and from our experience I'm not convinced it should be. There's an interesting statue as you walk in through the front door which is actually situated on the Hillsborough tram stop, very convenient. There's a few chairs and settees to the right and then it opens up into one huge room. 6 guest ales on the bar plus the usual suspects. I tried a pint of Lions Roar and the other half had an Ossett Silver King. We then went and sat outside on the beer patio. I had a mouthful of my beer which turned out to be Lions Vinegar. I took it back and it was changed with no quibble, but it took me over 10 minutes to get it changed!! Busy pub, only one behind the bar, typical JDW. After she changed the pint she didn't turn the pump clip round. I mentioned this to her and she just shrugged and left it. Not good. Some poor sod was going to get another pint of vinegar. I had it changed for a pint of the Silver King which was OK.
On 30th June 2010
- rating: 2
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]