HENRY'S – Sheffield's first café bar – is due to reopen before Christmas in a move that it is hoped will give a boost to part of the city centre awaiting redevelopment.
Two brothers are transforming the empty premises at the corner of Cambridge Street and Wellington Street into a real ale bar, café and restaurant while the £600m Sevenstone retail quarter is on hold.
"Hopefully it will raise the profile of the are
a again," said Mark Simmonite, who is working with brother Adam.
"When people see we are open, it will encourage others to approach the council to see what other units are available."
The council – frustrated by the delays to Sevenstone – is delighted that new life is being breathed, albeit on an intended short-term basis, into an area in which many shops and other businesses have been closed and boarded up. Henry's, part of a chain, opened in 1980 and established itself as something of an institution in the city centre before making way for brief reinventions as the Corner House and finally the City Bar. The building has been empty for a couple of years.
The whole area between Cambridge Street, Pinstone Street and Barker's Pool is currently blighted by uncertainty over developers Hammerson's scheme for the retail quarter.
The council has been trying to smarten up empty units with temporary window displays and now the Simmonite brothers have taken a five-year lease on one of the most prominent properties.
They say they are prepared to step back to allow redevelopment, if needed. They would not stand in the way of a £600m project of such importance to the city centre, said Mark.
At the same time they would look at staying longer than five years if the retail quarter failed to shape up. In the current economic climate the earliest date for a start on construction is 2011.
Meanwhile the city centre will get another haven for real ale enthusiasts. The new Henry's will feature 12 hand-pumped beers, including supplies from local breweries, and bottled Belgian beers.
Mark and Adam have already made their name in Sheffield through organising beer festivals including the St Patrick's Day festival in Fargate.
But their latest venture will also encompass a café, open from 9am, and a restaurant.
Mark said it will reflect how the tastes of the original customers of Henry's have changed since its heyday.
"When I was 18 I would go in for a cocktail or a fancy lager. I'm now 40 and looking for a cask ale or a Belgian beer or a Guinness. We are going to create a nice friendly relaxed atmosphere."
Mark and Adam have been working with family and friends to refurbish the former café bar, which had a leaking roof and a humped floor. "It was a mess. We stripped it out completely, repaired the roof and put in a new bar, kitchen and cellar and created disabled access and toilets."
The seating will comprise pews from Handsworth Methodist Church…
An opening is planned within two weeks, and Mark added: "We are looking forward to a new challenge. It has been very hard work. We have been working 12 to 16 hours a day."
The new business will employ 15 to 20 full and part time staff. "We are going to be supporting local suppliers of food and drink. We need it to be a quality establishment and to breathe life into the area."
The fact that premises in the proposed retail quarter are being let temporarily indicates there is still some way to go in transforming ambitions into reality.
Both the council and Hammersons continue to work together on land assembly and planning issues and say they remain committed to the project.
For the moment, though, council leader Paul Scriven said he welcomed "some festive cheer" for people who used to use Henry's or the City Bar. "The old bar on Cambridge Street will open in time for Christmas, giving the people of Sheffield a chance to take advantage of another opening in the city centre.
"The people behind the new bar have been working tirelessly together with council staff have to get the bar cleared and ready to reopen."
