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THE SOUNDS OF 2020 New year, new playlist

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WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOING ON? Museums, movies, theatre, comedy and more

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CONTENTS

#SHOUTABOUTSHEFF

4 WATCH, LISTEN, DO Arts, culture, film... the things to look out for in Sheffield this quarter

8 NEWS The latest from the city streets

12 WHO’S GOT THAT VIBE? From teenage MCs to Irish rockers, we rate the artists looking to make waves in 2020

14 FOOD & DRINK New openings, new menus and more

18 MOVERS & MAKERS From Strictly Live to Conversations With..., Stacey Dooley has a busy beginning to 2020. How she found time to talk to VIBE is anyone’s guess

EDITOR Richard Abbey DIGITAL EDITOR Ashley Birch DESIGN Dan Wray, Steve Levers OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Jillion Wood DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Chris Clayton ACCOUNTS Paul Barrett Published by: RMC Media Second Floor, Number 40, Little London Road, Sheffield, S8 0UH Tel: 0114 250 6300 www.rmcmedia.co.uk / www.sheffieldvibe.com Not connected with any other company or group. All material is the copyright of the RMC Media and is not to be reproduced without permission. The placing of an order for the insertion of an advertisement in this publication shall amount to an acceptance of our terms and conditions, copies of which are available on request.

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

On stage

On Screen

Grandpa’s Great Escape 29 December / FlyDSA Arena www.flydsaarena.co.uk David Walliams has become Britain’s favourite children’s authors and the stage adaptation of one of his best-loved stories, Grandpa’s Great Escape, is sure to be one of the treats of the Christmas season. The wondrous stage design will see the FlyDSA Arena transformed into London and its landmarks including Buckingham Palace and the River Thames, from thousands of feet in the sky, as Grandpa’s life-size Spitfire roars through the air.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 19 December The final chapter in the Skywalker saga brings 42 years of films to an end. Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and friends will once again lead the Resistance against the Kylo Ren-led (Adam Driver) First Order. And there’s the small matter of Emperor Palpatine to deal with too… It looks epic. Bad Boys For Life 17 January Will Smith and Martin Lawrence team up once again for this third instalment in this series, although quite a lot has changed since the 2003 Bad Boys II. Whilst Marcus (Lawrence) has become a police inspector, Mike (Smith) is having something of a midlife crisis but they must work together to bring down a mob boss who’s out for revenge.

My Cousin Rachel 20-25 January / Lyceum Theatre www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Alluring, exotic and unconventional, Countess Rachel Sangalletti (Helen George) travels from Florence to the Ashley Estate in Cornwall, home of her recently deceased husband. Her presence in the house arouses dark suspicions and uncontrollable desires, not least in young Philip, cousin and heir to the Ashley home. Feverish passion battles reason in this classic Gothic romance.

Birds of Prey 7 February Margot Robbie reprises her role as Harley Quinn in this DC Comics outing which sees her joining forces with superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord played by Ewan McGregor.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie 8-29 February / Lyceum Theatre www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk The award-winning play returns to the city where it started for an extended run, this time at the Lyceum. Shane Richie joins the production as Hugo/Loco Chanelle whilst Layton Williams takes the lead. With an original score of catchy pop tunes by Dan Gillespie-Sells and writer Tom McCrae it’s no surprise this has become one of the biggest hits of recent years. The movie version is up next.

Dolittle 7 February After his decade with Marvel, Robert Downey Jr has swapped comic book capers for family fantasy adventure in this reimagining of the popular tale. After losing his wife seven years ago, Dolittle is forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure for the gravely ill Queen Victoria.

David Walliams’ children’s tale, Grandpa’s Great Escape, takes flight at the FlyDSA Arena this Christmas

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graced million selling songs such as ‘How Long’ by ACE, ‘Tempted’ by Squeeze and the Grammy Award nominated ‘Living Years’ by Mike and the Mechanics, is now firmly established as one of the hardest working, independent musicians on the scene. And he’s a local boy, to boot.

Music Everly Pregnant Brothers 20 & 21 December / O2 Academy www.o2academysheffield.co.uk Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a festive knees-up with the Brothers. This year they’ll be performing two nights of hits – it’ll be fun, festive and no doubt full of swearing! A right, royal Crustmas Ding Dong!

New Rules 19 February / O2 Academy www.o2academysheffield.co.uk Following their sold out 2019 headline tour and support slots for both Julia Michaels and Little Mix, New Rules have announced a major headline UK tour for February 2020.

Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club 31 December / O2 Academy www.o2academysheffield.co.uk Join Craig Charles for an end-of-year Funk & Soul Club special, as he brings 2019 to a close with a number of jazz and funk heavyweights, including acid jazz band, Brand New Heavies, DJ Sir Funk, Hyde Park Brass and Andy H.

The Sherlocks 21 February / O2 Academy www.o2academysheffield.co.uk Sheffield indie quartet, The Sherlocks, will hit the stage stronger than ever, performing tracks from their highly-praised second album, Under Your Sky.

Slipknot 20 January / FlyDSA Arena www.flydsaarena.co.uk The mask wearing heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa arrive in Sheffield on the back of UK number one album, We Are Not Your Kind. They also hit the top spot in USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, Ireland, Belgium and Finland as well as top three in Germany, France, Norway, Italy, The Netherlands and New Zealand.

The Script 26 February / FlyDSA Arena www.flydsaarena.co.uk Irish alt-pop trio The Script embarked upon a new chapter with the release of their new album in November. ‘Sunsets & Full Moons’ is the sound of The Script – Danny O’Donoghue, Mark Sheehan and Glen Power – focusing on the inclusive, uplifting songwriting that helped them become an arena-filling band with a fervent fan base the world over. “No frills, no production, just us playing as a band,” notes Sheehan. “It’s us doing what we do best.”

Ibiza Classical 1 February / Sheffield City Hall www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk Relive clubland greatest moments – brought to life with a live orchestra and DJs –featuring dance floor hits ‘Saltwater’, ‘Where Love Lives’, ‘9pm till I Come’, ‘Cafe Del Mar’, ‘Insomnia’, ‘Children Live’, ‘Show Me Love’, ‘I Need a Miracle’ plus many, many more.

Stereophonics 28 February / FlyDSA Arena www.flydsaarena.co.uk With unparalleled longevity and continued success, Stereophonics are a band woven into the fabric of popular music. Kelly Jones continues to cement his place amongst the great British songwriters with an ability to sketch and capture truth and beauty from everyday observations as well as delving into his own life experiences. They went down a storm at Tramlines in 2018.

Paul Carrack 2 February / Sheffield City Hall www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk Paul Carrack and his awesome six-piece band take to the road again for the 30 date 20/20 Tour. Paul, whose vocals have

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Lorna May Wadsworth, Rt Hon David Blunkett, 2003 Image © the artist

The Time is Now Until 19 January / Millennium Gallery www.museums-sheffield.org.uk Time flies. Time stands still. Time is against us and time is on our side… Our whole lives are defined by the time it takes to live them. It’s in the past that we remember and the future that we imagine together, the centuries of change and the here and now. This immersive new exhibition looks at how contemporary artists have approached our complicated relationship with time. Lose yourself in artworks that question how time affects everything we do – including Katie Paterson’s mesmerising giant mirror ball reflecting 10,000 images of solar eclipses, and Andrew Hunt’s huge paintings exploring the fleeting moment between youth and old age. Discover work by Helen Chadwick, Braco Dimitrijević, Ruth Ewan, Ruth Levene, James Nares, Jorge Otero-Pailos, Mathew Weir and more.

Exhibitions GAZE: A Retrospective of Portraits by Lorna May Wadsworth Until 15 February / Graves Gallery www.museums-sheffield.org.uk Lorna May Wadsworth is one of Sheffield’s real artistic success stories. During her 25-year career she’s captured an array of famous faces from the worlds of politics, entertainment and beyond. This winter, Lorna returns home for a retrospective that brings together more than 100 of her most acclaimed portraits. Explore a visual feast of paintings of celebrated sitters, including actors David Tennant, Michael Sheen and Derek Jacobi, filmmaker Richard Curtis, author Neil Gaiman, politicians David Blunkett and Tony Blair, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, and many more.

The Time is Now. Berris Conolly, Ladys Bridge, 1989. Image © the artist

The Time is Now. Berris Conolly, Ladys Bridge, 2009. Image © the artist

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she’s in her element, and now – after her spell in the jungle – she sets out for the more welcoming destination of Sheffield. A brand new hour of sharp-tongued gags, cultural observation and whatever else is in her easily distracted mind this time around.

Comedy Ed Byrne 25 January / Sheffield City Hall www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk Join Ed as he takes a long hard look at himself and tries to decide if he has any traits that are worth passing on to his children. A TV household name, in the past year Ed has appeared on BBC’s ‘Live At The Apollo’, ‘Mock The Week’, ‘The Pilgrimage’, ‘Top Gear’ and ‘QI’.

Adam Kay 17 & 18 February / Crucible Theatre www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk This Is Going to Hurt sees award-winning comedian Adam Kay share entries from his diaries as a junior doctor. This brand new live show mixes highlights from the book with his awardwinning stand-up comedy and exclusive new content.

Stewart Lee 6-7 February / Sheffield City Hall www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk Snowflake/Tornado is a double-bill two new 60 minute sets, performed back to back each night. Tornado questions Stew’s position in the comedy marketplace after Netflix mistakenly lists his show as “reports of sharks falling from the skies are on the rise again. Nobody on the Eastern Seaboard is safe”. Whilst Snowflake questions his worth in a society demolishing the liberal values he has been keen to espouse in a fairy-tale landscape of winter wonder.

Lou Sanders 23 February / The Leadmill / www.leadmill.co.uk As seen/heard on Taskmaster, QI, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Travel Man, Hypothetical, The Russell Howard Hour, The Unbelievable Truth, Ultimate Worrier and more, Lou Sanders will be examining relationships, mental health and perverts. As you do. David Baddiel 28 February / Sheffield City Hall www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk David Baddiel comes back to the stage with a brand new oneman show, Trolls: Not The Dolls. Trolls – the terrible people who spend all day insulting and abusing strangers for no other reason than to fill the huge gaps in their souls. There is a common wisdom about how to deal with trolls: don’t, for goodness sake, encourage these people by replying to them. It’s a good law. And it’s one that David Baddiel has consistently broken. Because David has always seen trolls as hecklers, and if a comedian gets heckled, it is their duty not to ignore the heckler, but to wittily put them down. Over the years, David has spent a lot of time doing this, which has led him to think that there might be a show in it: a show that would say something about how we live now.

John Shuttleworth’s Back 6 February / Crucible Theatre www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Years of stenuous DIY, not to mention playing his organ whilst perched upon a multi-pack of Diet Sprite and no lumbar support has taken its toll. But – ever the trouper – John returns to regale audiences with an evening of his classic songs, pausing only to apply deep heat rub. Shappi Khorsandi 17 February / The Leadmill / www.leadmill.co.uk Comedian, author, cultural icon and idiot who agreed to be tortured on ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!’, Shappi Khorsandi is a woman of many parts. But live comedy is where

NEWS

Big award for Tramlines

We Were Never Derelict

Tramlines Festival organisers are celebrating a successful night at the UK Festival Awards, after bagging the Best Metropolitan Festival gong against a packed field. The festival, which took place in Hillsborough Park for only its second year this summer, beat off stiff competition from All Points East, Cleethorpes Gathering, TRNSMT, When In Manchester Festival and Whitby Goth Weekend to scoop the prestigious award at a ceremony held in London’s Troxy. Operations Director Timm Cleasby said: “It’s amazing for Tramlines to be shortlisted. This recognition is a real testament to everyone who works on the festival and puts in such a massive effort to deliver a brilliant show and to our attendees, without whom, none of this would be possible.”

The spirit of Park Hill has been captured in a new poem written by Sheffield Poet Laureate Otis Mensah. The contemporary poem will be on permanent display at Béton House as part of new public artworks and is an ode to the building and a tribute to the communities that have been part of its history. Otis Mensah said: “When being asked to write the poems for Park Hill, I was conflicted and felt it was imperative to depict the beauty and resilience of a community, focusing on the people that make Sheffield. “We Were Never Derelict is about hope and unity and shedding light on the human cost of disenfranchisement even in the very heart of it. I hope that this poem portrays the everchanging state of life and society and simultaneously burdens the reader to acknowledge their social responsibility.”

Heart of the action A top ten global law firm is set to become the second anchor tenant in the Heart of the City II scheme being delivered by Sheffield City Council. CMS has over 70 offices located across over 40 countries and the company is set to reaffirm its future in Sheffield, relocating from its current base at Victoria Quays and preserving the firm’s presence as a major employer in the city. It is now set to take 47,500 sq ft of office space within the same landmark building that is also the new home to HSBC. It is hoped the move will further strengthen the emergence of Heart of the City II as a new financial and professional services district for the Sheffield City Region.

Bowled over The wait is finally over, as boutique bowling chain Lane7 has opened its doors on The Moor. Situated Matilda Street, the venue comprises nine lanes of tenpin bowling alongside a range of activities including baseball, darts, ping pong, pool, beer pong and arcade games. In addition, the site will feature an eatery operated by street food specialist Fat Hippo and a bar. Launched in Newcastle in 2014, Lane7 has since expanded into cities across the UK including Birmingham, Liverpool, Aberdeen and Middlesbrough.

Winter ball raises £200,000 A glamorous charity ball held in aid of Sheffield Children’s Hospital has raised a record-breaking £200,000. The Children’s Hospital Charity’s glitzy Winter Ball was attended by more than 300 people on Saturday November 30 and was hosted by BBC Breakfast presenter and charity patron Dan Walker. Held at the University of Sheffield’s Octagon Centre, it was sponsored by Graham Royle of the GRI Group. The record-breaking total was made possible thanks to a selection of ‘money-can’t-buy prizes’, which included a unique opportunity to spend the day with Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, a personal tour of McLaren’s state-of-the-art facilities in Woking by the founder’s daughter, Amanda McLaren and a signed original sketch of ‘National Hug Service’, by beloved Sheffield artist and charity patron Pete McKee. The evening also featured performances by Sheffield artist and former The Voice semi-finalist Lucy Milburn as well as the inspiring story of 16-year-old Emily Eccles, who addressed the audience about the care she received at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. David Vernon-Edwards, Director of The Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We were overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone who attended the Winter Ball on the night, as well as all those who so kindly donated prizes to help us achieve this record-breaking total.”

SNÜGG wins major award Sheffield specialist Scandinavian children’s store SNÜGG on Ecclesall Road is a concept boutique store specialising in exclusive handpicked Scandi brands for babies and children. SNÜGG won the national award of Best Independent Apparel Retail 2019 at the Progressive Pre-School awards in London, a great achievement for a shop that has been open for just over a year. SNÜGG specialises in boutique Scandinavian brands including Mini Rodini, Sometime Soon, Sebra Interior, Cam Cam Copenham, Oy Oy. As well as selling clothes up to the age of seven, the store also sells fantastic quality toys and accessories with a focus on sustainability.

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MOVERS & MAKERS

Look good, feel good YOU’RE SURE TO TURN HEADS AFTER A VISIT TO R.A.G VINTAGE – AND YOU’LL BE HELPING TO MAKE THE WORLD A GREENER PLACE TOO. ready to wear right away and avoids that familiar vintage hum. Sheffield shoppers have been loving the new addition to the city-centre retail scene in its opening weeks. “It’s been an amazing first month!” says Alice, “We’ve met so many incredible customers already and we’re really excited for what’s to come in 2020. Huge thanks to everyone that’s come down so far and we can’t wait to meet more of you!” And if you’ve been looking for reason to nip in and see them, then we think we might have got the answer with this exclusive offer for our lovely VIBE readers. All you have to do is pop down and see them with the voucher below, quote “VIBEMAG20” at the till and you’ll receive an exclusive 20 per cent off.

DEDICATED followers of fashion will have already noticed the appearance of R.A.G Vintage, a brand new vintage clothes shop located in the heart of Sheffield city centre offering a HUGE selection of one-of-a-kind clobber, but did you know about the store’s sustainable message? The new Norfolk Street store in the home of a former Post Office has been open for around a month and boasts Sheffield’s widest selection of brands and designer gear which, thanks to their incredible ‘3 for £25’ deal, can be picked up at some absolute bargain prices. However, the store is about more than just vintage bargains. R.A.G stands for ‘re-used and green’ and R.A.G Vintage’s Alice Leadbetter tells us the tagline was created because ‘it’s easy to forget buying vintage IS sustainable.’ “We wanted to shout about this,” says Alice, “we hope the store will become a destination where people are inspired to buy reused rather than new, to make the world a greener place.” In order to help them achieve their green goals their range also features a number of reworked products, which are ‘reimagined and remade from garments that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.’ The friendly in-store team behind the new ethically-minded shop comprises Lucy, Olivia, Hayley, Rio and Katie, who are on hand every day to guide you through the handpicked pieces which are sourced from a wholesaler in Barnsley, which gets its vintage from all over the world. Before the pieces hit the shop, everything is laundered so it’s

R.A.G Vintage is located in 194 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JH and opens Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm and Sunday 10.30am–4.30pm. For more info, check out their Insta @ragvintageuk

Quote “VIBEMAG20” at the till and you’ll receive an exclusive 20 per cent off T&Cs: The offer excludes the 3 for £25 deal. We’d love to include it but unfortunately it’s just how our till is set up!

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THE SOUNDS OF 2020

≥

FROM TEENAGE MCS TO IRISH ROCKERS, WE RATE THE ARTISTS LOOKING TO MAKE WAVES IN 2020.

CELESTE There’s a quiet softness to Celeste that makes you feel instantly relaxed by her presence. The track ‘Both Sides Of The Moon’ subtly introduced her voice last year; one oozing with sophisticated, undeniable soul. Her voice has that natural ease that seems to just escape her throat, but contains so much detail, so many stories, such complex personal histories. She has already seen praise from the likes of Annie Mac, Julie Adenuga and publications including FADER, Wonderland and Interview Magazine.

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COUNTY LINE RUNNER Named after a character from a US nineties TV show who robbed banks across county lines, Tom Stafford’s moniker summarises his place at a handful of intersections – upbeat energy versus introverted vulnerability, folk sensibilities versus rock ambition, with a nod towards post-punk and nostalgia for days gone by versus hope for the future. County Line Runner graced numerous festival stages this year, including The Great Escape Festival, Reeperbahn Festival and Latitude.

AITCH

INHALER

Not to be confused with the fella from Steps, Aitch is a 19-year-old MC hailing from Moston, an area in North Manchester. The city has been endlessly churning out rap talents in recent years; Aitch’s artistry derives from the proximity to the UK’s epicentre and breeding ground for all forms of underground bass music – whether it’s rap, grime, dubstep or drum and bass. His debut EP, Aitch20, reached number three in the UK album charts, with breakthrough track ‘Taste (Make it Shake)’ hitting number in the singles chart.

Formed at school in Dublin, Inhaler quickly set about writing tracks that pulled their influences – ranging from The Stone Roses, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Interpol and The Cure – together and twisted them into a sound of their own. Their progress has been rapid; it was just over a year ago that the band turned up to play at Ireland’s Electric Picnic festival in singer Elijah Hewson’s car with no crew and found a rammed tent waiting for them to perform. A big tour is already lined up for 2020.

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

THE SOUNDS OF 2020

GRACE CARTER Not quite the new kid on the block – Grace was voted third in the BBC Sound of 2019 – but definitely one to watch in the new year. Her emotionally charged songs depict her inner most personal experiences. London born and Brighton raised, Grace sees her music as letters she never got to write and everything she wanted to say but never could until now. She’s recently supported Lewis Capaldi on his UK tour.

DECLAN J DONOVAN

PLESTED

Growing up in Harlow, Donovan could have never imagined becoming a singer-songwriter. But the first track he ever wrote – written especially for his brother’s wedding – propelled him to success after he uploaded it to Soundcloud. It garnered a million plays in six months. In 2018, he was one of the only unsigned acts to play BBC Music’s Biggest Weekend. Now signed to Polydor, a tour is already planned for March.

Singer-songwriter Philip Plested has already made a name for himself by penning songs for some of pop’s biggest names, including Lewis Capaldi, Zayn, Emeli Sande, Naughty Boy and Little Mix. Now he’s stepping into his own spotlight; both his solo output and hit collaborations reveal a gifted tunesmith with a distinctive approach all his own, combining top tier songcraft with an irrepressible knack for melody and highly personal insight.

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TOM TRIPP After racking up over six million streams with his independent debut EP, ‘Red’, Tom signed a major label deal with Polydor and set to work on his follow-up. He made the decision to scrap the first version of that, tentatively titled ‘Black’, after being in a car accident and suffering from depression. It proved to be a necessary process for Tom to be able to rise from the ashes with a brand new collection that he believes encompasses what he represents artistically.

D-BLOCK EUROPE Hailing from South London, D-Block Europe are a collective of artists led by Young Adz and Dirtbike LB. Not being constrained by one genre, their music explores different sounds while showcasing their impeccable bars and staying true to their individual style. Single ‘Home P*ssy’ currently sits at over 4.5 million views on YouTube.

WUH OH Wuh Oh has crammed a great deal of experience into his short musical evolution with appearances on Annie Mac, Vic Galloway’s BBC Introducing Sessions, TRNSMT and Electric Fields. An enviable run of support shows – for the likes of DJ Shadow and Com Truise – have allowed him to develop his live shows. Appearing on stage in otherworldly custom-made outfits, Wuh Oh crafts a surreal and inventive live experience that merges DJing, dexterous keyboard playing, self-styled interpretive dance and his sugar-rush pop sound.

APRE

≥ 15

Creative brothers Charlie Brown and Jules Konieczny have arrived as one of the UK’s most intriguing bands, combining the socially conscious, observational lyricism of Pet Shop Boys with the alternative indie of Foals. Still a group in relative infancy, they may have started life as an outlet for escapism – the boys met at a West London chess club – but across four eclectic EPs, they seem to have found their voice. The duo have been touring the festival circuit and have opened for the likes of Sam Fender, LANY and Sea Girls as well as touring with Friendly Fires.

FOOD NEWS

On a reggae tip

Bringing the party

A new café-bar that will also sell records with a focus on reggae, drum and bass and jungle, as well arts and crafts from local makers, has opened on Abbeydale Road in the former home of Pirate Ship. Cole’s Corner opens through the day as a café selling seasonal, all-vegan, organic soup with veg from local growers Sheffield Organic Growers, as well as a selection of panini, coffees, teas and juices. In the evening, the venue will then transition into a bar selling alcohol. Cole’s Corner’s owner told VIBE: “Through winter I think soup and a sandwich is perfect. We might change it in the summer and do more of the juices, but I do make a mean soup! The soups will all be made with local produce wherever possible, so we’re going to get bread from Forge, beer from Abbeydale, veg from Sheffield Organic Growers, so just keeping it local and sustainable.” The records will be on show and available to purchase throughout the day, as will artwork from local makers including Scavengers, who upcycle climbing rope products, Made by Martyn, a limited edition run of t-shirts from Sinai Sound System that will only be available from the shop, records and merchandise from the likes of Off Me Nut, Displace and Raze Sound System, and canvasses by The Tribes, who has designed the shop’s logo and the sign.

Following a six-figure investment, Zinc is set to take over the former Be At One venue on Devonshire Street, making its debut in the city. Stonegate Pubs, which owns both bar brands, have fully refurbished the former home of The Bowery with a brand-new, raised dancefloor, Halo LED mirrors and gold, copper and metallic elements. Matthew Barber, general manager at Zinc Sheffield, said: “We’re so excited to be bringing Zinc to Sheffield. The town has never seen anything like it before, so we are looking forward to making our mark! We can’t wait to welcome new customers to the venue to see how great the refurbishment looks!” Tunes-wise, Zinc will combine the best of Soul, Funk, Chart and RnB music on a brand new illuminated dance floor into the early hours, with a host of DJs providing a cool and slick soundtrack across the club’s Mixx, Shuffle and Karma club nights, which promise to bring the best party to Sheffield – every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

V or V open its doors We’ve been looking forward to this one for aaaages, and like a Christmas miracle, right out of the blue we’ve got our wish. Kelham Island’s newest veggie and vegan restaurant is now open. Speaking to us back in October, head chef at the new Cornish Street venue Danny Lynn told us all about the restaurant’s exciting new menu. “The main thing for us is offering something that’s quality in its own right, that’s a bit different from what you can expect.” says Danny, “Another big thing for us is being inclusive. It’s about everyone being able to come and enjoy something. “The menu is quite broad. The only constant is that it’s all vegan and vegetarian and I’d say probably 80 per cent of it is vegan, but we’re not militant about that. For me, if I can make something taste really good, and it be vegan, then that just means everyone can eat it. “I think about it like this, if you’re vegan or vegetarian, and you’ve got to take your meat-eating parents out to dinner, I see us as the type of place you can take them without them finding it overwhelming or like a theme restaurant.”

New gin bar for Cutlery Works Cutlery Works have repurposed the unit formerly home to their low intervention wine bar concept, TABLE by Fin & Bone, as a brand new wine bar with a selection of over 25 gins to choose from. The new bar, which can be found on the left as you enter the upstairs food hall, will also have two lager lines and a selection of organic wines. Cutlery Works say their reasoning for making the changes ‘is to allow our guests to access their favourite drinks more easily, and to make room for some more seating upstairs.’ The Milestone Group also has grand wine plans for 2020 with rumours of a wine school launching at The Milestone - watch this space.

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MOVERS & MAKERS

Whirlwind start FROM STRICTLY LIVE TO CONVERSATIONS WITH..., STACEY DOOLEY HAS A BUSY BEGINNING TO 2020. HOW SHE FOUND TIME TO TALK TO VIBE IS ANYONE’S GUESS. back into fashion, certainly over the past few years, everyone has a growing obsession with Louis Theroux, it’s at an all-time high. I think we are very curious, there is this insatiable appetite for information. And we are in a position now where we can find out what’s going on around the world. It’s very immediate, so I feel really lucky to be a part of that scene and documentaries always rate brilliantly and they always do really well.

DOCUMENTARY filmmaker, author and TV presenter – and not forgetting Strictly Come Dancing champion – Stacey Dooley has become the voice of a generation, firmly establishing herself as one of the BBC’s most celebrated broadcasters through her hugely popular investigative documentary series, covering a diverse range of topics from across the world; from arms dealers in the USA to Nigeria’s female suicide bombers. Her upcoming UK tour, Conversations with Stacey Dooley, will see her share tales from these remarkable experiences, discuss the challenges of journalism in a constantly shifting media landscape and, of course, that glitter ball win in 2018. Having left school at 15 and never studying journalism professionally, Stacey’s career as a broadcaster and journalist began whilst working at Luton Airport, when she was chosen to travel to India to work as a contributor on BBC Three’s Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts. She has since gone on to front a string of stand-alone series for the channel investigating stories around the world as well as in the UK. Stacey is also the author of the bestselling book On the Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back in which she drew on her global encounters with incredible women in extraordinary and scarily ordinary circumstances. We caught up with the multi-talented Stacey to find out more.

What would you say has been your career highlight to date? Oh wow! I’ve made loads of films, but you’re proud of different films for different reasons. The films we made concerning the Yazidi community in Iraq are some of the ones perhaps I’m most proud of. Having said that, we have just made a really compelling documentary – I think it will be really important – about psychosis and mental health more broadly in South London, so much closer to home. I’m really proud of that. What is your fondest memory of Strictly Come Dancing? I shouldn’t say winning, should I? Because that’s too showy. Kev and I loved the Paso. I was never going to be the best dancer; I was against a Pussycat Doll (Ashley Roberts) and a girl from Steps (Faye Tozer) – both amazing dancers. So, it was just about us taking ownership of our own journey. The Paso was when I felt really proud actually of what we were able to achieve. It felt like a real story, there was narrative there and it was storytelling in a different way. I loved the Paso so much it was brilliant. Also, learning how to dance from one of the best dancers in the country was a real treat; it was amazing, the best time!

If I told a very young Stacey Dooley that she’d be touring the country one day, what would she say? I mean I would have probably believed it; my teachers might have told you otherwise. You know, I’ve said this a million times, you never take for granted that people are on your side and support you and are interested in what you have to say. It could have gone very differently for me, so I’m full of gratitude.

What else will you be working on before the tour starts? It’s non-stop. I’m doing Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star at the minute which is a make-up show, and then when I finish that I’m going off to do a documentary on spy cameras, and then I’m going to a few places where we will be looking at new drug routes. After that I go to USA to spend some time with women serving life in prison, then in January and February I will be doing the Strictly tour, which I wrap on the ninth and then on the tenth I start my book tour in Glasgow, which is very exciting.

You have met many people from different walks of life – who is the most interesting person you’ve met? I’d be pushed to say one! That’s the highlight of the job you know, you go to the most unusual parts of the world, sometimes you are in hostile environments and sometimes you’re surrounded by extreme privilege – and you just meet people that you just wouldn’t cross paths with ordinarily and I love that. I met Barack Obama when he came over here, that was pretty cool. I have interviewed Theresa May, and lots of politicians around the world. I’m very, very fortunate in that sense. There is never a dull moment. Do you think the world of documentary film making has changed much since you started out your career? Yes, I suspect it probably has. I think documentaries have come

Conversations with Stacey Dooley is at Leeds Town Hall on 11 February. For ticket information visit www.leedstownhall.co.uk

MOVERS & MAKERS

Winter 2019/20

CHOMP www.rmcmedia.co.uk www.sheffieldvibe.com

THE OLD RECTORY UNIQUE UNIQUEOCCASIONS OCCASIONS

Large Dance Floor Licensed Bar Beautiful Surroundings Excellent Catering Packages Now Available For Civil Weddings and Partnership Ceremonies Conferencing & Events

CONTENTS

#CHOMP

4 NONNAS It may have taken her an age to get there but was Rhiana Hughes’ visit to Nonnas worth the wait?

6 OUTSTANDING CHOCOLATE Handmade, with love, in North Yorkshire. Kirsten Howells traces the origins of Kala King Artisan Chocolate & Pastry

8 VARANASI INN With flavoursome food and a friendly, family atmosphere, Crosspool’s latest addition has made a promising start

10 A NIGHT TO REMEMBER The preparation for the 2020 Westside Restaurant and Bar Awards has begun – and we have a brand new venue and sponsor

11 FOOD NEWS New openings, new menus and more

12 HYDE PARK INN You’ll find pub classics and more...

14 JUST THE TONIC Who doesn’t love gin? But with so many out there, it’s hard to know where to start. Rachel Martin grabbed a panel of tasters to find out which gin makes a top tipple

17 BROCCO ON THE PARK There’s something warm and comforting about a visit to Brocco on the Park, writes Rachel Martin. And that’s before you get to the food...

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Time well spent IT MAY HAVE TAKEN HER AN AGE TO GET THERE BUT WAS RHIANA HUGHES’ VISIT TO NONNAS WORTH THE WAIT? and cooked to medium-rare perfection, and came served with black pudding mash, braised red cabbage and pancetta with a rosemary jus. The black pudding mash was like nothing I’ve had before. Where black pudding itself can often overpower a dish, served in this manner it complemented the lamb perfectly, and contrasted really well with the salty pancetta against the sweet rosemary jus. With almost no space left after my hearty main course, I couldn’t quite face a full on dessert, but knowing how well the Italians do ice cream, I couldn’t help but try a little something. The gelati misti (£5.50) was a surprisingly light and refreshing end to my meal, which meant I managed to find a little bit of room for my other half’s dessert. His deconstructed rhubarb cheesecake (£7) was just that. Bearing no real resemblance to a traditional cheesecake while full of all, if not more of, the flavour you’d expect, the dish came beautifully presented, with the rhubarb curd, rhubarb sorbet, micro mint and gin and tonic gel all working in harmony. As we readied ourselves to leave, we noticed that spare tables in the restaurant were few and far between, having continued to fill up as the night went on, so we thanked our lucky stars we’d booked ahead of time for our Monday night meal.

EVERYONE’S got somewhere they’ve wandered past time after time and vowed one day to venture inside. For me, this was Nonnas. Don’t ask me how I managed to live in Sheffield for almost three years before walking through their Ecclesall Road doors, and even more baffling is that my Sheffield born and bred partner never paid them a visit either – nevertheless, we finally made it, and we’re kicking ourselves for years of missed opportunity. As we took our seats in the candlelit restaurant, we felt a wall of warmth and a waft of hypnotic aroma hit us as the kitchen doors swung open, and we couldn’t wait to get our hands on the menu. It didn’t take long for our starters to reach the table, both attractively presented on wooden serving platters. My first course of focaccia all’aglio (£4) was surprisingly light for a bread starter, and came laced with the perfect amount of garlic, tomato sauce and mozzarella. My partner’s antipasto carne (£7.95) was a generous board of prosciutto di Parma, salami Milano, porchetta and mortadella, which came with Nonnas chutney and a large olive oil cracker. The sea salt sprinkled atop the olive oil cracker wasn’t the only extra topping of the evening, as of course it wouldn’t really be dinner at an Italian restaurant without a generous sprinkling of parmesan over a dish of pasta, would it? As our waitress patiently waited for my partner to finally say ‘when’ as she sprinkled extra parmesan over his spaghetti carbonara (£12), I personally couldn’t wait to tuck into my own dish of Agnello (£19). The roast lamb rump was well-seasoned

Nonnas 537-541 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, S11 8PR Tel: 0114 268 6166 www.nonnas.co.uk

Best Italian Business in England 2015

Westside Restaurant & Bar Awards

2018

Best Barista in England 2016

WINNER

Best Italian Restaurant

TAVOLO DEL CAPITANO!

Sit & Dine in Montecatini Alto’s piazza in the new look Nonnas, book the Tavolo del Capitano for your party of 10/14 people!

2014 & 2016 Winner

PASTA OFFER Available Sun to Fri, 5pm to 7pm and Mon to Thu, 12 to 3pm

Excluding Bank Holiday week, Mother’s Day & Father’s Day

£8.50 PER BOWL

Ideal for our Tuscan sharing menu!

TAGLIATELLE SALSICCIA (gf) LINGUINE MARINARA IN BIANCO (gf) SPAGHETTI CARBONARA (gf)(v) RIGATONI ALLA PUTTANESCA (gf)(v) PASTA AI NOCI (n)(gf) GNOCCHI AL RAGU

STUZZICHINI

INSALATONE

CONTORNI

PANE E OLIO (v) £3.95 OLIVE (gf)(v) £3.95 FOCACCIA ALL’AGLIO (v) £4.50 TRIO (v)(n) £3.95

£10.95

£4.50 (gf)(v)

INSALATA AI GAMBERONI (gf) INSALATA VEGETARIANA (gf)(v) INSALATA AL POLLO (gf)

INSALATA MISTA (v) • PATATE (v) RUCOLA (v) • CAVOLO POMODORI (v) • SPINACH (v)

Book anytime during weekdays Fri & Sat 6pm & 8.30pm only available

ANTIPASTI BRUSCHETTA CLASSICA (v)(gf) £5.95 BRUSCHETTA AL QUARTIROLO (v)(gf) £5.95 ANTIPASTO CARNE (n)(gf) £8 ANTIPASTO DELLA CASA (n)(gf) £16 (share for two people) FRITTO MISTO £8 / Main £16 COZZE (gf) £7.50 / Main £15 ZUPPA ALLA APSTINACA (ve)(v)(gf) £6.50 BRASATA D’AGNELLO £8.50 ASIAGO FRITTO £7.95 SALMONE AL GIN E BARBABIETOLA £8.50

PASTA

PANINI

DOLCI

(not toasted) £7.50 (lunch only)

TORTA DI FORMAGGIO £7.50 (n) MOUSSE AL CIOCCOLATO (n)(gf) £7.50 PANNACOTTA £7.50 DATTERI £7.50 TIRAMISU £7 GELATI MISTI (gf)(n) £6 VIN SANTO Le Ruffole (75ml) E CANTUCCINI £8

SALMONE • POLLO CLASSICO (n)(v) • VEGETARIANO (v)

SECONDI MANZO (gf) £26 FILETTO (gf) £30 POLLO £19 GROPPA D’AGNELLO (gf) £19 SALMONE (gf) £19 MERLUZZO £19 ZUCCA E PASTINACA AL FORNO (gf)(v) £15 TARTINA (v) £15

FORMAGGI £2.75 FOR 25g

TAGLIATELLE SALSICCIA (gf) £12.50 LINGUINE MARINARA IN BIANCO (gf) £12.50 SPAGHETTI CARBONARA (gf)(v option) £12.50 RIGATONI ALLA PUTTANESCA (gf)(v) £12.50 GNOCCHI AL RAGU £12.50 LASAGNE DELLA NONNA £12.50

SECONDI PER DUE

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO 18 MONTH GORGONZOLA QUARTIROLO GOAT CHEESE ASIAGO TALEGGIO FORMAGGI MISTI (PLATTER) £16

PESCE PER DUE £50 BISTECCA PER DUE (gf) £55.00

DESSERT COCKTAILS

RISOTTO

VEGAN & CHILDREN’S MENUS AVAILABLE

All our pastas are homemade using only eggs and flour. We also serve gluten free alternative

RISOTTO AI FUNGHI (gf)(v) £12.50 RISOTTO ALLA ZUCCA (gf)(v) £12.50 RISOTTO ALLA PESCATORA (gf) £12.50

(Main courses to share)

Call or visit our website for full details

£8 WHITE CHOCOLATE MARTINI BAILEYS CIOCOLATINI ESPRESSO MARTINI DIRTY BANANA BRANDY ALEXANDER DI SARONNO DREAM

Visit www.nonnas.co.uk for full details of all our menus and to book a table (n) contains nuts (v) suitable for vegetarians (vg) suitable for vegan (gf) suitable for gluten free

FREE LIVE MUSIC SESSIONS: WED, THUR & SUN AFTERNOON

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Outstanding chocolate HANDMADE, WITH LOVE, IN NORTH YORKSHIRE. KIRSTEN HOWELLS TRACES THE ORIGINS OF KALA KING ARTISAN CHOCOLATE & PASTRY.

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“For me, the business is all about creating delicious chocolates, brownies, desserts and patisserie for everyone to enjoy. As such, I also pride myself on creating vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions of many of our treats. Everything I do is handmade in my North York Moors kitchen – with lots of love – to ensure it not only looks incredible, but it tastes exquisite too. “Just as important is that I know exactly what goes into each product. I aim to source as many ingredients as possible from local suppliers and farms including eggs, flour and milk to fruit and berries. Plus, I use only the very highest quality, ethicallysourced chocolate.” Adds Kala: “As well as creating luxury artisan chocolates, I make individual desserts and chocolate centrepieces for special occasions including weddings, birthdays and corporate events. I love taking clients’ ideas, no matter how extravagant, and bringing them to life. I also run regular chocolate workshops designed to introduce people to chocolate making. The workshops are really popular and always great fun; they’re the ideal way to share my passion for chocolate and no-one ever leaves hungry or empty-handed!” Concludes Kala: “We all deserve a little outstanding chocolate in our lives and that’s my vision. I simply want people to enjoy food at its very best. Whether that’s by ordering some of our luxury artisan chocolates or sumptuous vegan brownies, challenging us to create a wedding centrepiece or by making memories in a chocolate workshop; there’s a chocolate experience for all – everything chocolate possible here at Kala King Artisan Chocolate & Pastry!”

WHEN Kala King visited a cocoa plantation in Venezuela, little did she know that a few years later she’d be starting her own business selling handmade chocolates and patisserie in the heart of the North York Moors National Park. “I was living in Venezuela with my husband and our daughter and had a busy career in the oil industry,” explains Kala. “I’ve always loved chocolate so when some of my friends suggested a trip to a local cocoa plantation one weekend, I jumped at the chance. We were privileged to watch the entire process of seed to bean – it was a truly amazing experience. My passion for chocolate making began right there.” Continues Kala: “South America is a world-class producer of selected cocoa beans and it was the perfect place to start my own journey into the world of chocolate. Seven years later and my family and I moved to the picturesque village of Hutton-leHole in North Yorkshire. Once we’d unpacked and got settled in, I started my chocolate and patisserie training with Callebaut, home of the finest Belgian chocolate, and Cocoa Barry. “I’ve since completed specific training to enable me to create chocolate centrepieces with Martin Chiffers, international pastry consultant, and Ruth Hinks, UK World Chocolate Master. “After ‘practising’ my skills on friends and family – my harshest critics! – I wanted to share my enthusiasm for all things chocolate with more people. I felt the only way to do that was to start my own business, so Kala King Artisan Chocolate & Pastry became a reality.” “From the very start, I was adamant about sourcing and using only the very finest ingredients,” states Kala. “Quality is key and it’s something that sets good chocolate apart from outstanding chocolate. I want everything we do to be outstanding and exceed people’s expectations.

Find out more about Kala and her scrumptious business at www.kalaking.co.uk or email: info@kalakingchocolate.co.uk

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Eager to please WITH FLAVOURSOME FOOD AND A FRIENDLY, FAMILY ATMOSPHERE, CROSSPOOL’S LATEST ADDITION HAS MADE A PROMISING START. spiced potatoes, light fried onions and yoghurt sauce, served in a puffed puri pastry, was just delicious. To follow, we shared a lamb rezela (£10.50), chicken balti baruchi (£9.75) and Ansar also brought us a side of saag chana aloo (£5.50) to try. A pilau rice (£3) and garlic naan bread (£3.60) completed the picture. Where to start? Well, the sauce, in particular, served with the medium-hot lamb rezela, made up of keema, green pepper and tomato, ticked all the boxes for flavour; the meat was deliciously tender too. The potatoes, onions, tomatoes and peppers that comprised the balti baruchi were plentiful while the topping of fried onions added extra zing. We really enjoyed the side of potatoes, spinach and chickpeas too and the naan was excellent, not too doughy and packed with garlicky flavour. Portion sizes definitely leaned towards the larger side and unfortunately we couldn’t finish everything. The good thing was, Ansar had our leftovers packaged up and we gratefully finished it off the day after – it tasted just as good. It might still be early days for Varanasi Inn but on this showing, they’ve certainly made a promising start.

VARANASI Inn might be the new kid on the block – it opened in Crosspool a few months ago – but it’s backed by decades of experience. Proprietors Nilendu and Anna Das have been in the business for ten years while Nilendu’s father, who had the much-loved Ambar on Ecclesall Road, has over 30 years behind him. It’s still very much a family business and the warm family welcome puts you at ease as soon as you walk through the door. Nilendu and his staff are friendly, knowledgeable and eager to please. The restaurant, for those with a long enough memory, occupies the old Thyme building. It’s a decent-sized space that has been divided into three with a bar/waiting area and two dining rooms. The décor is traditional and comfortable – think statues of Ganesh and paintings of dreamy Indian landscapes – and it works. We felt right at home. A couple of poppadoms (80p each) and an excellent pickle tray (£3.50) gave us food for thought but with a large menu drawing inspiration from the 22 regions of India, we were grateful for some guidance from manager Ansar. He asked us what we would normally choose and then suggested some alternative dishes for us to try. To start, a mixed kebab (£5.80) – chicken tikka, onion bhaji and sheek kebab – was familiar and tasty but we particularly enjoyed the Varanasi aloo chaat (£4). This combination of

Varanasi Inn 32-34 Sandygate Road, Sheffield, S10 5RY Tel: 0114 266 1017

Bookings Now Being Taken for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day

Varanasi Inn Fine Indian Cuisine

32-34 Sandygate Road, Sheffield S10 5RY Telephone 0114 266 1017

AWARDS

A night to remember

THE PREPARATION FOR THE 2020 WESTSIDE RESTAURANT AND BAR AWARDS HAS BEGUN – AND WE HAVE A BRAND NEW VENUE AND SPONSOR. THE search is on for the finest dining and drinking establishments across Sheffield and North Derbyshire, as we launch the 2020 Westside Restaurant & Bar Awards. Next year’s event looks like being bigger and better than ever as Sheffield’s premier dining awards event moves into an exciting era with the announcement of a brand new venue and sponsor – The OEC. We are delighted that the 2020 event will take place at Sheffield’s newest dining and events venue on the evening of Monday 8 June. The OEC – Owlerton Events & Conferencing to give its full title – has just opened, nesting snugly between Napoleons Casino and Owlerton Stadium on Penistone Road. It’s a new, ultra-modern and exciting venue with a 500-seater capacity, making it the perfect spot for large-scale parties, weddings and celebrations of all kinds. So, of course, it’s the ideal venue to host the Sheffield restaurant world’s biggest and glitziest celebration night! As the Westside Restaurant & Bar Awards has grown in size and stature over the years we’ve sometimes struggled to find a venue to squeeze all the guests into the same room. But the versatile nature of The OEC means that will no longer be a problem. The Rivelin Suite on the first floor can be broken down into separate suites to suit

the size of the occasion, catering for up to 500 people. The OEC launched in mid-November and has a contemporary kitchen that can cater for all dietary needs and any requirements from casual dining to the finest banqueting menus. So with an exciting venue settled and a date in the diary, the search for next year’s winners is set to intensify. Last year Brocco on the Park won our Restaurant of the Year award for the second year running. In recent years out awards have reflected the rapid improvement in standards in gastro-pubs, the growing influence of street food from around the world and an increasingly vibrant independent pub and bar culture. Will some new food and drink trends emerge in 2020? All will become clear in the next few months as we search out the venues that have truly excelled in the art of delivering delicious food and beverages in a superlative setting over the last year. All our recent award winners have been superb, so expectations are high. Here’s a reminder to all restaurant, hotel, café and pub owners: to make sure your establishment is under consideration for the 2020 Westside Restaurant & Bar Awards, contact publishing manager Sam Warsop at sam.warsop@rmcmedia.co.uk

YOU CAN BE THERE TOO... Why not treat yourself to a place at one of Sheffield’s big occasions? You can be assured of a great night out at the 2020 Restaurant and Bar Awards, now approaching their 30th anniversary and firmly established as the most important date on the social calendar for all those in the restaurant business. And now there’s the chance for you, the customers who love dining out, to be part of it all. We are pleased to now able to offer tickets for the event, thanks to the opening of the aweinspiring OEC. This all-new venue, which has only recently opened, has won rave reviews from its first customers. But what’s more, it allows us to expand the Awards Night in a way that was not possible until now. The completion of the complex means up to 500 guests can sit down to a sumptuous four-course meal, and of course enjoy the evening’s entertainment. Previously, tickets had to be restricted to 225 – less than half the size of the 2020 event. Tickets are now available at £60 each, or bring along a few friends on your exclusive table, for 10 guests at a special price of £550. To reserve your places, just email martin.edwards@rmcmedia.co.uk and we’ll send you a booking form by return.

FOOD NEWS

Need a hygge?

Kelham Island Quarter

Hygge, a gorgeous new independent café bringing a comforting touch of Scandi-chic to the city centre, has opened underneath the new Sugar Cube student housing development, in Fitzalan Square. The new Danish-themed café, which specialises in good coffee and pastries with a simple sandwich offering, is promising to offer more than just a good brew. Hygge’s sumptuous surroundings feature everything from an indoor garden area to fussball tables, hanging chairs, more cosy nooks than you can shake blanket at and there’s even a mini cinema area. Owner Alex Moore told VIBE: “It’s not just another coffee shop. I do a lot of work from coffee shops, and I know a lot more professionals who don’t sit in an office all day. When we came across this place, we thought we could create a multifunction work space that would have a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere that was also spacious enough for professionals and students.” The coffee shop is currently open from 8am-6pm most days, with plans to open later into the evenings for events including everything from board game nights, movie nights and book clubs, to poetry readings and acoustic nights, as well more socially conscious gatehrings like language exchanges and meet-ups for people with difficulties interacting socially.

Kelham Island Museum has reinvigorated its hospitality offering with the opening of a new pub – The Millowners Arms – and a refurbished café called simply, The Island. Both venues have been transformed by Liam Bardell and Nathan Scarlett, owners of popular Neepsend coffee shop Gaard. The tavern incorporates many things that are already central to the traditional pub history of Sheffield, boasting a Yorkshire Dart Board, a 17th century fireplace rescued from the Travellers Pub in Wadsley Bridge, pub quizzes, board games and of course, a competitive selection of real ale. The breakfast and brunch menu at The Island consists of delights such as Hendos rarebit, smoked mushroom benedict and campfire beans and is served all day until 3pm. From 11am, a lunch menu is also available, which includes a small sandwich menu with classics like fish finger sandwiches and grilled cheese, as well as soup of the day and salads, and there is also a kids menu, which consists of a main, dessert and bottomless soft drinks.

High steaks The former Halifax bank on Surrey Street, near the Winter Gardens, is the subject of a licensing application from pub chain Mitchell & Butler, who are looking to open a third branch of their Miller & Carter steakhouse brand in the empty unit. The bank has been empty for some time and the chain are looking to transform the venue into new city centre restaurant which will be open until 12.30am and serve alcohol until midnight, if the application is approved.

You spoke, they listened Owners of Sheffield’s award-winning underground cocktail bar Public have been forced to do some soul-searching recently, and they’ve decided it’s time for real change. Public co-owner James O’Hara has taken to the bar’s Instagram page to outline these changes, which include smaller seasonal cocktail menus, an improved beer selection and a more relaxed approach to bookings and table service. Basically, they’ve taken on board criticisms and are trying to adapt. James went on to say: “It’s all well and good getting named the best bar in the U.K. and going up and down to London to get patted on the back by people who’ve never even been to the bar but if the people in Sheffield can’t get in, think it’s elitist or just simply don’t like it then what’s the point? “Public: we called it this because it was an inclusive name but are we really?” In an effort to become more inclusive, the bar’s yearly cocktail menu is gone, making way for an ‘ever changing, smaller, seasonal menu simply printed on recycled paper’. They will also provide an improved beer selection, including crowdpleasers like Guinness.

Hot spot for a new night out With the recent opening of Two Thirds Beer Co., the soon to be opened The Teller, not to mention the refurbishment of The Gin Bar, Abbeydale Road is turning into quite the hot-spot for a decent night out. Throw in Picture House Social, Barrowboy, Dead Donkey and The Broadfield and you’re spoilt for choice. Just be warned; it could get messy! With regards to Two Thirds Beer Co., the owners – Ben Stubbs and Danny Clare – are two of the members of Sheffield band Saint Petersburg and are joined by business partner Adam Inns. The bar, transformed by Rocket Designs, boasts 16 lines of quality and varied cask and keg ales, a fully stocked bottle bar and, given their other occupations, a pretty banging playlist.

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Home comforts YOU’LL FIND PUB CLASSICS AND MORE AT THE HYDE PARK INN, WRITES CHARLES BRADSHAW. homemade coleslaw. It was a satisfyingly sized dish, baked just right with plenty of flavour. My companion’s Chicken and Chorizo Skewers were served on a bed of white rice with side salad (lettuce, tomato, red onion, sweetcorn, cucumber, beetroot) plus a dash of balsamic vinegar. The meaty pieces were thoroughly cooked and delicately char-grilled with a delicious smoky flavour. For dessert I had Sticky Toffee Pudding (£3.95); an individual light sponge, topped with a warm toffee syrup. My companion selected a slice of lattice Cherry Pie (£2.95). A satisfying serving of rich, warm fruit nestled between shortcrust pastry. Both desserts included an individual jug of hot, creamy custard. We both concluded that the portion sizes were just right with an exceptional balance of flavours – just like home cooked food. The Hyde Park Inn is a welcoming venue for all ages (including four-legged animals) with an extensive food menu plus a well-stocked central bar with wines, spirits and local ales on tap. In addition to the food menu, speciality evenings are arranged during the week including an extremely popular Sunday Carvery.

BUILT in the late 19th century, the Hyde Park Inn is located on the southern edge of Dronfield, opposite a playing field. The Inn has ample car parking spaces, an enclosed outdoor seating area and a large beer garden – a popular spot in the summer overlooking the Derbyshire countryside. Current owners Tom and Vee purchased the property five years ago and have built up a clientele of regular drinkers and diners. In addition to running the Inn (and tending to the outdoor gardens) the duo sponsor four local youth football teams and participate in the annual summer Beer Festival. We were warmly greeted on our visit one dark, cold and wet evening. Entering the Tardis-like venue, we were swiftly shown to our table and settled down to peruse the menu. A large selection of dishes are offered ranging from pub classics, snacks and plenty of vegetarian/vegan/gluten free options (with more planned for the future). The Inn was already busy with several family groups dining and many drinkers at the bar. Our waitress informed us of a 30-40 minute wait for food – which is understandable as the dishes were being made from scratch. I ordered homemade Beef Lasagne (£8.95) while my companion opted for Chicken and Chorizo Skewers (£7.95). Arriving well before the expected wait time, our food was neatly presented and piping hot. My layered lasagne portion was topped with melted cheese and accompanied by a side salad, subtly flavoured slices of garlic bread plus a serving of

Hyde Park Inn 2 Hilltop Road, Dronfield S18 1UH Tel: 01246 290120 www.thehydeparkinn.uk

The Hyde Park Inn SERVING FRESHLY PREPARED TRADITIONAL COUNTRY PUB FOOD OPEN EVERY DAY OPEN: Mon 4pm–11pm MONDAY STEAK NIGHT Tues & Wed 12noon to 11pm Thurs, Fri & Sat 12noon to 12midnight Sun 12noon to 11pm

from 4pm (Normal menu also available)

TUESDAY TAPAS MENU 2-FOR-1 from 4pm

FOOD SERVED: Monday 4pm–9pm Tuesday - Saturday 12noon to 9pm Sunday 12noon to 6pm

Every Thursday at 9pm with cash prize

CHILDRENS MENU AVAILABLE

Every Friday from 4pm

QUIZ NIGHT FISHY FRIDAY

FUNCTION AREA Birthdays and funerals all catered for LARGE SOUTH-FACING SUMMER BEER GARDEN

SUNDAY CARVERY

5 ROASTS

£8.95

SERVED 12 – 6PM

WE ARE DOG FRIENDLY!

The Hyde Park Inn Hilltop, Dronfield S18 1UH Tel 01246 290 120 Email: dronfieldhydepark@gmail.com

Good Food • Good Beer • Good Company Call us today to book a table

Hype park dronfield

TAKE AWAY

FISH & S CHnoIP w available

1554 Coffee inside Sheffield Cathedral. The double award winning coffee shop in the heart of the city serving deli food, lunches, mouth watering cakes and desserts and our own renowned unique blend of coffee … an escape from the hustle and bustle of town. Find out more on our new Website 1554coffee.co.uk, how we began, about our food, our coffee, meet the team and find out all the latest news and offers. Open: Monday–Friday 8:30am–4pm Saturday 10am–4pm

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Just the tonic WHO DOESN’T LOVE GIN? BUT WITH SO MANY OUT THERE, IT’S HARD TO KNOW WHERE TO START. RACHEL MARTIN GRABBED A PANEL OF TASTERS TO FIND OUT WHICH GIN MAKES A TOP TIPPLE.

£36.99, we tested across sloe gin, London dry gin, premium gin and quirky flavoured gin and ensured everything was included, from supermarket options to household names and craft-gin distillers. Our seven tasters were asked not only to select their favourite, but to score on appearance, aroma and the effects of the accompanying tonic, among other qualities. Each sample was tested neat, and then again, diluted with a small amount of mixer, to ensure that the flavour was not impaired. We opened the evening with Heston Blumenthal’s citrus sherbet lazy gin, made exclusively for Waitrose by the Michelinstarred chef. For the Old Butchers’ Louise Holling, it was a bold start: “This is a good introductory gin, very mellow and easy sipping with a slight citrusy twang.” But for Pretty Basra of Edwards and Walker, it wasn’t quite the perfect mix: “It smells

WHEN will our love affair with gin end? At this rate, probably never, as it’s still the go to drink of choice for many. And boy are you spoilt for choice. The last year alone witnessed an absolute explosion of gin – not literally, of course – with stats showing that more than 66 million bottles of were sold across the UK. We put this spirit obsession to the industry experts in our inaugural gin taste test at the fabulous Crown Hotel in Bawtry. But not just any old taste test; whether you’re agonising over just the right present for a loved one or fancy a special bottle of something for yourself, be prepared to put down the base of your usual G&T for something a little different. So, what are the best out there? Whittling our taste test down to eight different bottles ranging in price from £26 to

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The Panel: Letitia Burrows, The Crown Hotel Phillipa Buss, Pears Photography and Bawtry Hall Scott Brook, Taylorscot Pretty and Pete Basra, Edwards and Walker Louise Holling and Claire McCormack, The Old Butchers

L-R: Scott, Pete, Pretty, Letitia, Phillipa, Claire, Louise

Sheffield Honey and a dash of Henderson’s Relish are included, bringing a bit more of God’s Own County to this unique spirit. Distilled in the Steel City, it’s no wonder our panel favoured the taste of their county. “This gin is smooth but big on taste; you get some heat from the botanicals, which then reveals the juniper nose, before all the flavours harmonise,” said the Old Butchers’, Claire McCormack. The second Yorkshire-roots gin of the evening was Dalesbased J.P. Adlam’s N°8, which recently took home gold at the World SIP Awards held in the USA. The small-batch distillery, which is set make the move to Doncaster in early 2020, was admired by our panel for being “majestically smooth”, so much so that our testers all nodded and smiled to each other in pleasure after the first sip. “It’s a straight-down-the-middle, top-class traditional London Dry gin with bold botanical flavours of juniper, lavender, coriander and a zingy citrus burst,” said the Crown Hotel’s, Letitia Burrows. “The skilfully hand waxed seal, however, turns this into a beautiful present; it’s absolutely lovely.” Doncaster-based Brittains’ premium strawberry gin ticked our panel’s boxes for its “innovative flavours” and “warming and smooth aftertaste”, which, according to Phillipa, was a gin that stood out above the rest: “Quite rightly the dominant taste remains juniper, but the fruity zing and a hint of strawberry make this a lovely gin, particularly for cocktails.” The penultimate bottle, Sadler’s Peaky Blinders spiced dry gin is the ideal tipple for fans of the hit BBC TV show. Named after the Birmingham street gang which became prominent during the 1890s, the spirit is made by Sadler’s, a distillery

good, with a perfumed, citrus aroma, but it’s a bit ordinary. There’s no ‘sherbet’ taste.” Not quite able to grab the top spot, Hendrick’s’ limitededition Midsummer Solstice gin followed and was still a firm favourite with the tasters. “This gin has a lovely subtle but sweet flavour with notes of cucumber and rose petals,” said Bawtry Hall’s, Phillipa Buss. “A perfect balance of floral flavour without ruining the juniper notes.” Up next was Hayman’s sloe gin. Ruby red in colour, it was a firm favourite for all of the tasters, especially Scott Brook of Doncaster’s Taylorscot. “Great for sipping, this gin really delivers a strong burst of sloes, followed by a little sourness and then a long, smooth finish.” Bottle number four was True North Brew Co’s Sheffield Dry, a small-batch gin distilled in a handmade copper cask imported from Portugal. Alongside traditional gin botanicals, a touch of

The Contenders: Sir Robin of Locksley distilled artisan gin £36.99 Waitrose Heston citrus sherbet lazy gin £24.99 Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice gin £35 True North Sheffield Dry Gin £28 J.P. Adlam N°8 £35 Brittains premium strawberry gin Sadler’s Peaky Blinders spiced dry gin £28 Hayman’s sloe gin £26

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based in Stourbridge in the West Midlands and is already proving popular with the Crown’s discerning customers. “It’s a punchy, lip-smacking blend of exotic spices and botanicals,” said Letitia. So, similarly to the Shelby family, it’s probably not for the faint-hearted. Our overall winner, scoring the highest out of all the categories, was another of Yorkshire’s finest: Sir Robin of Locksley’s distilled artisan gin, which is a “year-round best seller” at Bawtry’s The Tasting Note. Sir Robin of Locksley Gin was launched in 2014 by Yorkshireman, John Cherry and his wife, Cynthia and pays homage to Robin Hood, Yorkshire’s folklore legend. An experienced wine and spirit collector, John taught himself to distil and developed the final recipe following over 100 different variations. Based in Sheffield, the gin has been distilled at Portland Works since 2017 and features botanicals including elderflower and dandelion picked on the doorstep. “The flavours in this gin are released in the vapour alone; the nose is a warm cassia soothed with dandelion freshness which leads to a sweet and lingering citrus finish,” said Scott, who considers Sir Robin of Locksley his gin of choice. So, there it is, our verdict on some of the best and quirkiest gins on the market.

“The flavours in this gin are released in the vapour alone; the nose is a warm cassia soothed with dandelion freshness which leads to a sweet and lingering citrus finish.” – Sir Robin of Locksley

Thank you to our gin-credible tasting panel and The Crown Hotel, Bawtry for hosting this years’ tasting. www.crownhotel-bawtry.com

VIBE’s best buy Sir Robin of Locksley Distilled Artisan Gin Sir Robin of Locksley is a smooth, full and rounded gin that sits midway between a London dry and an Old Tom, thanks to sumptuous sweet notes of citrus and liquorice. This sweetness is perfectly reined in by the warmth of cassia bark and herbaceous blooms, making it a very sippable and versatile festive tipple. Sir Robin of Locksley mixes well and makes a moreish gin and tonic, whilst the elderflower makes it an ideal choice for a warming Bramble cocktail. Recommended G&T garnish: Pink grapefruit

Final Scores:

Sir Robin of Locksley distilled artisan gin: 146/168

Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice gin:

J.P. Adlam N°8 gin:

Hayman’s sloe gin:

Sheffield Dry gin:

136/168

122/168

128/168

117/168

Brittains premium strawberry gin: 114/168

Waitrose Heston citrus sherbet lazy gin: 104/168

Sadler’s Peaky Blinders spiced dry gin: 72/168

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Nordic gem THERE’S SOMETHING WARM AND COMFORTING ABOUT A VISIT TO BROCCO ON THE PARK, WRITES RACHEL MARTIN. AND THAT’S BEFORE YOU GET TO THE FOOD... Stand out dishes were the beautifully presented monkfish scampi, crispy potatoes, tartae sauce and sherry vinegar (£12), a seemingly humble dish nurtured by Brocco into a quiet showstopper; creamy baked goat’s cheese, sweet potato roasted with thyme, candied walnuts and sweet potato crisps (£12), and beautifully blistered cod roasted with spinach, crispy prosciutto and almond crust (£12). The 3oz beef fillet and braised ox tail (£16) was soft and perfectly flavoured, while the wild mushrooms and crispy onion rings felt like a light accomplice on the side of the heartier red meats, each dish a talking point as we passed them back and forth between us. Dessert came in the form of a decadent apple and blackberry hazelnut crumble (£8), which is exactly what it says on the tin, with a soft biscuit crumble and vanilla ice cream; a dessert lover’s dream, the varying textures on the plate ensuring that the intense flavour doesn’t become overwhelming. This indulgent dessert was complemented by a comforting cardamom rice pudding with roasted plums (£8). I normally stick to the chocolate option on a menu, but this was, hands down, one of the best desserts I have ever had. We lingered at the table long after our plates were cleared, as the waiters milled around us in no hurry to move us along. But when we did eventually head out, we found that our meal at Brocco weaved its way into the conversation for the rest of the week.

WHAT is it about the Scandinavians that allows them to create a warming cosiness out of a blank canvas? A comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment and wellbeing. At Brocco on the Park, the Nordic inspired boutique hotel and Michelin Guide-listed neighbourhood kitchen that couldn’t keep itself out of the press since opening in 2014, a sense of familiarity and comfort hits you hard, until suddenly a rush of warmth fills your extremities. That warmth is what Danish call ‘hygge’ – when the world is reduced to a manageable dining room size. And if you’re going to forget the world for a dining room, you could do a lot worse than Brocco Kitchen, where fresh, seasonal ingredients and sharp Scandi flavours are found on almost every plate. The menu, created by head chef Leslie Buddington, offers “a contemporary take on authentic Nordic cuisine” putting the emphasis on sharing – sharing time, sharing stories, and sharing a collective ‘mmm’ as dishes are tried. The small (and not so small) plates reflect the season using local produce and employ a range of cooking techniques and flavours from owner Tiina Carr’s Finnish roots, and her passion and commitment to down-to-earth eating with flair. We began with a beautifully and delicately presented selection of lightly spicy seeded crisp bread, hummus, roasted onion and marinated olives (£6). A welcome window into what was to come, we used it to mop up any sauce, jus or crumbs left behind on the other plates, and it proved itself to go with everything. Then we really got into our stride, as our sharing plates started arriving in a thoughtful stream. There was a patience to our meal, a perfect pace, that invited us to relax and slow our conversation from a frantic chatter to an easy flow.

Brocco on the Park 92 Brocco Bank, Sheffield, S11 8RS Tel: 0114 266 1233 www.brocco.co.uk