Sheffield bar reopens after 18 months and returns to its musical roots

The bar has rebranded again and gone back to its musical heritage.

Sheffield bar The Harley has reopened following an 18 month closure – and is going back to its musical roots.

The Harley on Glossop Road, reopened on September 1, following a closure that started with the first lockdown in March 2020.

The bar was originally a popular gig venue which hosted well-known acts like Arctic Monkeys and Royal Blood, before closing for several months in 2019 and reopening as a sports bar.

Now, under a new general manager, the bar is rebranding again as a place for music lovers, and is putting on a series of event nights to get crowds back in the swing.

The Harley reopened on September 1 after an 18 month closure.

Beth Hallatt, general manager, told the Telegraph: “The reception so far to us putting events back on has been absolutely massive.

"We are going back to what it used to be. We are not a sports bar anymore.

"We got a bad reputation before. They tried to make it a sports bar and more like a chain.”

In 2019, The Harley was closed with management stating at the time it was not making enough money to be viable, but when it reopened in August 2019 as a sports bar it fell out of favour with its music loving punters.

This one reopened not long ago and was famed for its musical heritage.

The bar that helped to start Tramlines festival, as Harley staff helped to programme the early events, is keen to win this audience back.

Beth added: “We have rebranded – it does look different inside and it’s a completely different atmosphere. People will 100 per cent notice a big difference.

"We still have the screens but we are going to do different things with them not just Sky Sports. We are going to do film nights.

"We had a house and garage night, next week is a more relaxed Cuban dance night. We have a funk and soul night. It’s a variety of music, a little bit of everything.

"A lot of acts coming up are big names. Halloween is going to have a big headliner.”

Beth says that in the two weeks The Harley has been back open it has been a popular venue.

And if a total rebrand wasn’t enough to tempt people back inside, Beth knew had another ace up her sleeve...

She said: “We are the cheapest pub in the area.

"We do £2 pints and £1.75 for a spirit and mixer. It’s not student prices or NHS discount, it’s just cheap for everyone.”