Favourite Things: Independent approach of Jonathan's lifelong home

The Bike Specialists

I have developed a real obsession with buying motorbikes. I have a good-sized collection from scooters, right through to racing-type bikes. The star of my collection is a Norton Commando 961SE. One of my favourite shops in the city is The Bike Specialists on Edmund Road. The shop is based in a former World War One army barracks which makes it so nostalgic and full of history. I love the place and I love the products. It has the largest collection of bikes for sale of that type in Europe. I recently bought a Norton motorbike from them and naturally, because I love bikes, there’s always a reason for me to go in if I am passing by – although it can be an expensive reason!

Ashoka

Who doesn’t love a ‘reyt good curreh’?! I’ve been going to Ashoka on Ecclesall Road since 1986. My wife Bev and I also got engaged in there and we recently celebrated our 23rd anniversary over poppadums and pickles! It was an excellent curry house when the restaurant’s founding owner ran it, but the new owner Rahul has brought a whole new dimension to it. It’s decorated so authentically that you feel like you could be in Bombay. Ashoka is also the only place in the country where you can sample a Karemilised Kashmiri – it’s my favourite dish. The place holds a lot of sentimental value for me because of the times my wife and I have visited.

Endcliffe Park &

Sharrowvale Road

There’s nothing better for me than the changing of the seasons and Sheffield parks are the best way to see them. I often take my eight-year-old granddaughter to Endcliffe Park. We park at one end and walk all the way through. It’s such a friendly place and you can see all sorts of different things – wildlife, monuments, ponds and there is also a playground. Then, we always go for a walk down Sharrowvale Road afterwards. It’s full of one-off independent shops and cafes which is a welcome change to all the franchises .

Belgian Blue at

The Nags Head

I’m not a big drinker, in fact I hardly drink at all. But I will admit to having a weakness at this time of year for a few pints of Belgian Blue at my favourite pub, the Nag’s Head at Loxley. We often go there after a long walk in the countryside and the place has got everything anyone should look for in a pub – good, local ale brewed just a mile away, reasonably priced and in a fantastic, traditional setting.

Okeh Café AKA the pudding club

On Abbeydale Road there is a great 60s retro café called Okeh Café. Me and my scooter buddies meet there once a week for a good old-fashioned English meal. Whether it’s a huge filled Yorkshire Pudding or traditional pie and peas, none of us can get enough of the décor and music, which is so wonderfully and authentically 1960s. We like to call it the pudding club – as we’re usually always stuffed, but always find room for jam roly poly and custard!

Harrison clothes shop

on Ecclesall Road

The shop first opened in 1987 and is home to some really good quality, unique clothing. I like the pride the owners take in offering something different from high street stores, not to mention the sharp styles they keep in stock. It’s all topped off by great service that makes you feel you’re really getting looked after. It’s a principle I’ve learned from and tried to adopt in my own business, which is probably why I notice and appreciate it so much.

The Dram Shop

Sheffield’s finest off licence and a real hidden gem at Commonside. It is home to a plethora of beers and ales from just about every country in the world, plus an incredible range of wines, whiskies and other spirits and liquors to suit just about any taste and budget. The smell of the place as you walk in and the bell above the door is really memorable.