Red Grouse, Sheffield

Built 1960/61 (source: Brewery History Society website: List of Samuel Smith Old Brewery Ltd. Pubs) as part of the East Whitwell estate of 400 council houses by Samuel Smiths Brewery (Architect Unknown). The only significant subsequent change (date unknown) is the amalgamation of the public bar and lounge bar on the left by the removal of at least one wall (possibly two if there was an off sales between the two bars – original plan not yet located – information from locals).

Built of brick with stone added to the front facing side only, it is mainly single-storey with a central section (out of four) that is of two storeys and the upper part has a frontage of render. It has a distinct exterior due to a massive chimney of stone rising above the two-storey part.

The left hand twin doors lead to a lobby and on the left is a disused telephone booth. Through the twin inner doors is a large room with two bar counters of brick with wooden tops that look original which implies it was two rooms originally (with maybe an off sales between them?). Similarly, the bar back fittings appear original - a two bay one on the left and a five bay one on the right each with mirrors in wood surrounds at the top and between them and the main shelf are light brown tiles. Some of the lower shelves have been lost to fridges. The three sections of fixed seating looks original with padded backs onto vertical panels – note the table in the far left hand corner where two pieces of fixed seating meet. At the rear of the room are ladies’ and gents’, both with terrazzo floors (ladies has a carpet on top) and original urinal in the gents’ but wall tiles possibly replacements.

There are rough timber uprights on the wide opening to the right-hand part of the room which might indicate the layout was always like this but locals insist it was two rooms originally There is a large brick pillar and two widish openings to the left-hand part so if there was an off sales when built then walls would have originally met at the pillar but this is not obvious. There is a large, almost inglenook in style, brick fireplace on the right-hand front side with a small hearth. Lots of fake beams on the ceiling.

There is an internal corridor which runs across the front of the building connecting the two bars. Off this are a gents’ (terrazzo floor but otherwise modernised) and a ladies’ with another disused telephone booth between them. The right hand twin exterior doors lead to the corridor and through internal double doors is another large room believed to originally been a concert room but now the tap room. The original domed ceiling was also lowered to the current level. The servery has a sloping bar counter front which looks original but the raised vaneer panels are identical to those on the seating bays so added in the 1980s. There is a bar back of three bays – two long and one short one in the middle with mirrors in wood surrounds at the top and between them and the main shelf are light brown tiles, which continue on the right return. Some of the lower shelves have been lost to fridges.

There are two seating bays that have timber and glass sections along the top on both sides. There are raised timber panels on the outside of the bays which match those on the bar counter. A 1983 plan shows only one piece of L-shaped seating at the rear and none on the front side as it is the position of a darts board and ‘oche’. This means the seating bays are 1980s work. There is a polished parquet floor on the right-hand side of the room presumably from the days of its use as a function room? This area now houses a full sized snooker table.

Conclusion: It would be very helpful if sight of the original plans could be obtained. The likely changes to the layout could be considerable if originally three rooms (possibly with an off sales?) but the bar fittings appear original and few other changes apart from the fixed seating in what is now the tap room on the right. Worth at least Regional Inventory rating. (MS - Jan 2019)