Sheffield – Bath Hotel

Listed in the Good Beer Guide, this pub has also been credited by CAMRA as having ‘Nationally Important Historic Pub Interior’ status. This is very much deserved, it’s a quirky two room pub where the old saloon and public bar set-up remains evident. There’s something wonderful about seeing old signage for these bars, it’s a reminder of the pub’s history and also how society has changed over the generations.

There was no need for me to ponder my choice, which was the Cocoa Wonderland chocolate porter from Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell. I saw this beer in a few pubs over the weekend, it’s a rich tasting beer with a strong chocolate edge, which is, to be honest, a quite marvellous combination.

There were a few signs like this, there was an evident sense of humour and the bar staff were friendly and helpful as well.

Pinching the pub’s own history of their building:

“Our Grade II listed pub dates back to 1867, at one time it appears to have doubled as a grocers and a beer house. The first recorded use of the name ‘Bath Hotel’ was in 1908. Ind Coope bought it up around the time of the First World War and remodelled the interior in 1931, extending the pub part into what had been the grocers. The building today is scarcely altered since 1931 apart from the loss of the off-sales (hence the disused doorway on Victoria Street). In the sharp angle of the streets there is a triangular shaped bar with seating and a hatch servery.”

I didn’t notice the old off-sales door, although it makes sense now that I’ve had a look at the building again on Google Maps.

There’s also an interesting TripAdvisor review, which noted:

“We like this place but we won’t be rushing back. Got here a little early, 11.56, and was pleasantly surprised to find the door was open.”

The pub worked out the time of entry as actually being 11:31, which is a slightly amusing difference, and I can guess which story is most likely to be accurate.

Anyway, this was one of my favourite pubs of all that we visited in Sheffield, the laid-back atmosphere, the sense of history to the building and the excellent beer choice all combined into a not unpleasant visit. Another well deserved entry into the Good Beer Guide if I may say so…. (and I doubt enough people will ever read this to be able to stop me saying so).