Sheffield pub is to reopen more than a year after closing

A pub in Sheffield will soon reopen a year after closing.

The Black Bull, in Church Street, Ecclesfield, closed March 2023. An investment of £198,000 was made to transform the venue. The aim is to see it operate as a family venue with a garden, dedicated games room and varied entertainment programme.

The Black Bull’s refurbishment was carried out by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and Barnsley-born and bred licensees Simon Woodcock and Richard Hepplestone. The pair run five other pubs in South Yorkshire, including The Star Hotel in Cudworth and Gawber Road Working Men’s Club in Barnsley.

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Black Bull is expected to reopen by the end of July. The work will create 10 new jobs in the community.

The overhaul will completely revamp the outside of the pub, adding new signage, lighting and planting. A cobbled and covered patio will be developed with new seating for more than 40 patrons, festoon lighting and a screen for watching sports.

A complete refurbishment of the tired and dated interior will enhance the Black Bull with a stylish look that is in keeping with the historic building but also has a contemporary touch with designer features such as light fixtures. To cater for the whole community, the pub will have three distinct areas – a cozy carpeted lounge, a spacious bar and one of the best games rooms in the area, which will be equipped with a pool table, darts and screens Sky Racing. , Racing TV and Sky and TNT Sports.

Simon and Richard want Black Bull to build a reputation for superb beer and are installing state-of-the-art equipment to ensure consistently perfect pints.

The pub will stock premium lagers, craft beers and three cask ales – including a regularly changing guest ale – and Cask Marque accreditation will be sought after for their quality.

Fresh coffee and a wide selection of wines, spirits and cocktails will also be on offer. On the food front, Black Bull will have an all-day menu of pub favorites such as pizzas, burgers and pies.

Other changes include redecorating the toilets and a full package of energy efficiency measures to increase the pub’s sustainability.

Simon said: “The Black Bull thrived in its heyday. We want to save it and bring it back to scratch as a fantastic venue. There is massive affection for the village pub and there has been much concern for its future. It’s great to have so much support for the pub’s revival – it shows how much people still value a good pub.”

Lorna Willoughby, Star Pubs investment manager for Yorkshire, added: “We are delighted to be working with Simon and Richard to bring such a well-known pub back to life. It’s the stable and experienced hands that The Black Bull needs. They have experience of running popular pubs in South Yorkshire and understand that they just want people.

“The Ecclesfield pub scene has struggled since the pandemic but is now seeing a revival and we’re delighted to be playing our part. The Black Bull will look amazing when the work is complete; we are changing everything from the furniture to the floors and will make the most of its location with tables overlooking the church opposite. The garden has lots of sun so it will be a lovely place to enjoy the rest of the summer.”

The Black Bull is believed to date back to the early 1800’s. Simon and Richard are appealing for any information on its history or photographs of the pub through the ages. Simon added: “We ran a poll asking residents if we should change the name of the pub, 80% of respondents wanted to keep it as the Black Bull. There are lots of stories about how it came to be called that. It would be great to learn more about the pub’s past.”

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