The Heeley Horse Is galloping on the grassy hill at the side of Gleadless Road facing west to the Railway Line and the Brincliffe edge direction

     The area is about three miles south of the city centre, on an arterial route. Good place to go drinking if you live within two miles, as you can walk home, however probably not worth catching a taxi here.
     No need to get dressed up, as these pubs are common working class, but still neat and tidy. Always trouble free, all have a very good atmosphere, and all bar staff are friendly.

     Heeley Bottom, formerly Nether Heeley is an area, dominated by a large district train station that was closed in 1965 according to some records, and 1968 in others! Now all that remains, is the remains of six (or twelve if you include Little London Road) large ironwork bridges and the massive stone walls that mark the old boundaries, and now many trees grow where the platforms and entrances were.

There are large undeveloped patches of land where the poor quality council terraces and back to back houses were finally cleared in the seventies. Though the houses were small, and without bathrooms or heating, this area had a much liked community, and the residents didn't want to move into their new modern houses nearby. Many of them had lived with their neighbours for two generations and through the wars. From the begginning of the 1960s, The council was eager to build a large road dubbed the "Heeley Bypass", and was intending to use the clearence of the old back to backs as an excuse to go ahead, but there was vociferous campaigning from locals for 25 years until the project was finally scrapped. And the heeley city farm was built over part of it. But even today you can still see a green stripe where the road could have been.

     What was once Heeley goods sidings, is now Arnold Laver D.I.Y., the other, larger Heeley Goods Sidings site has just been developed in 1999, into a row of warehouse retail outlets called Heeley Retail Park. This site has been derelict since the early seventies.
Meersbrook Tannery - Opposite Arnold Laver DIY is the very large former Meersbrook Tannery Buildings, which is now converted into flats. At the top of the building you can see where the clock used to be and the word tannery has been changed to buildings. Around the back of this large building is a grassed area, where the actual tannery works used to be.
Heeley Electric Palace - Between Ponsfords and the railway bridge over London Road was the Heeley Electric Palace Cinema, It was demolished in 1981, and left as rubble and some concrete steps with grass sprouting out of it for about fifteen years then a car sales franchise, and Now Ponsfords Studio. Before it was demolished it was used as a roller skating rink. The cinema was a local one with a curved frontage, and Reginald Dixon was at one time the organist. It used to get lots of customers in via Heeley Station, and never really recovered when the station closed.
     At the bridge over the Sheaf River, the old " Heeley Post & M. O. office, and stationers " building has been a car scrap dealers for fifteen years, and before that the yard at the back was a car spares yard for years on it's own.
     Heeley is a corruption of the term " High Ley " or high meadow. The Meers Brook running between Valley Road and Albert Road was the Yorkshire - Derbyshire border until 1900 when Sheffield extended it's boundaries southwards, soon after swallowing the villages of Norton Woodseats, Norton Lees, and eventually Dore,  Greenhill and Ecclesall. The area of London Road which goes to Heeley Bottom, used to be called London Road South, but now it's London Road.

     Because the area used to have many houses, there were lots of pubs too. Most are all still in existence, but The Sheaf View is standing derelict at present. The new retail development has breathed new life into the area, but the local shops have struggled for business since the end of the seventies, half have been empty, or boarded up for years, however the expensive furniture shop " Ponsfords " dominates, as it has expanded to about ten shops long. The area has lost all it's banks, there used to be four! This is probably due to the modern electronic banking trends however, as banks everywhere are closing local branches. There are a great deal of restaurants, and have been for years. Three or four curry houses and balti take away! Two fish and chip shops, but one is hiding down valley road. Channings restaurant, Traditional English! and two Italians.
     The area is looking slightly better now in 2000, there is hardly any shop fronts laying dormant, although people have often opened a shop for only six months before realising they can't make it pay. The area seems a little more prosperous now the Heeley Retail Park is complete. All the units were taken within three months, and the car park is always brimming with shoppers. This can only pass on an advantage for the existing traders.

     The pubs are vibrant, and also varied. A good place to visit for a night out with the lads. Good selections of beers, and no tacky theme pubs as yet, " fingers crossed! "

White Lion - A pub that's very aware of it's history, there is information and history on the walls for anyone to read, every pub should do this. The inside is very attractive, and still largely partitioned into small lounges or Snugs. The building still has original tiling and leaded windows inside. They serve a good variety of strong ales, with information blackboards always on view. This pub is a Gem, and very tastefully preserved. It's a crying shame that every district in the city, could not have preserved a pub like this.

Earl Of Arundel And Surrey - A very attractive looking old pub on the outside, but a comfortable largish modern pub on the inside. A poundhouse, the landlord is required by act of parliament to keep a stable and take in stray animals, but I've never seen any in the bar!   Update Nov 2004, Now rebranded as The Earl, and about to reopen as a nightclub venue

The Red Lion - Looks like two separate Red Lion pubs, right next to each other. Nearly opposite the hole in the wall in the railway, where Saxon Road emerges beneath the rails, and the end of London Road transforms into the start of Chesterfield Road.       There is a function room on the ground floor at the back, which has a pool table. And a three quarter size Snooker table in the right hand room at the front. This is an unusual feature these days, but thirty years ago there were hundreds of these snooker tables in most of the large pubs in Sheffield. This is a good pub with a pleasent atmosphere.	The Red Lion Up To Summer 2000
16th September 2000 After being shut for 2 months and £400,000 refurbisment The Red Lion officially re-opened On Fri 22nd Sept 2000 as Mr Q's pub. Origionally had a video Juke Box 3 Pool Tables ( 1 American Pool ) 1 Snooker Table Now 4 pool tables only and internet terminal! But unfortunately now open plan ( No Partitions at all )
April 2007 Unfortunalely after being shut down, by the police, for nearly a year this once decent boozer has now been shuttered up. Most people think there is little prospect of it ever being a pub again, what a pity it wasn't left as a proper boozer as it was in the 1990s
Nov 2007 Great news is that finally this once great boozer is being fixed up. In recent times the lead has been stolen from the roof and the insides have become damp. Many thanks to PaulP for permission to use this picture

The Crown Looks as though it belongs on the corner, rather than the main road. Which is more likely the reason for the address being Albert Road, and not Chesterfield Road. This pub has a largish secluded garden with swings etc. for children. In 2000 I was a little disparaging about the quality of the beer, and wouldn't have recommended a visit. But in 2004, the Pub is much improved. The beers are served in a much better state, and they are regularly mentioned in the local Camra real ale magazine. And the staff are friendly and the pub is clean. Originally a beer only house, the Crown was listed for the first time in 1856.

Here in April 2007, we can see that the Crown is still going strong. It has been repainted and had new signage since my last pic 3 years ago.

 

 

 

Here are a couple of views of the sheaf View during April 2007 By now the Sheaf view has gained a reputation for it's massive selection of cask ale and other drinks from around the world. A regular in the Local Camra magazine, even on a wednesday afternoon in early spring it appears to have plenty of custom.

The Bridge Inn - quiet pub split into two rooms. The front room has a good pool table and the back room is a smoky working men's drinking hole! It is right across the road from the former Heeley Railway Station, and used to be always full of passengers and railwaymen. It will never be such a goldmine again!
Originally opened as a beer house around 1856, the old building was demolished to enable the road to be widened, the new pub was built in 1937 - 38. The original address of the establishment was 1 London Road South.

Here is a new shot of the bridge In April 2007, now offering food and Karaoke, it seem a much more lively venue than the smelly place it appeared to be ten years before. Even the sheltered yard is a delight (on the far left), although the river sheaf thundering by in it's channel reminds me more of a drain overflow than a picturesque river.

Easy Street A double fronted shop that has been made into a wine bar. This place looks extremely tacky from the outside, but it has it's merits when you go in. The draught beer is quite limited, but there are the usual fridges of pils lager, and a wine list on every table. This place is often quite full, even midweek. Easy street became noisier and less empty as time went along and fearing for my hearing I stopped going in. It closed sometime during early 2006 as far as I remeber and became boarded up.

Jan 2007 it was refitted and modernised and reopened as a Rush Hour outlet. This classy reopening has improved on the Easy Street model 7 years before. Now actually looking like a genuine continental Cafe Bar

Here is a pic of the menu which was stuck to the window. It looks inviting to me. Click to view in a big window