Sheffield ranked second in the UK for local beer with more than 1,000 independent pubs

There is no institution more beloved in the UK than the Great British boozer, and a new study has found that Sheffield is one of the best cities for independent pubs.
By Steven Ross
Published 18th Nov 2021, 06:00 BST
Updated 18th Nov 2021, 13:52 BST

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CAMRAs Good Beer Guide 2022 contains 78 South Yorkshire pubs.CAMRAs Good Beer Guide 2022 contains 78 South Yorkshire pubs.
CAMRAs Good Beer Guide 2022 contains 78 South Yorkshire pubs.

A new study from Bionic has found that Sheffield is ranked as the second best city in the UK for pubs in location, with over 1,875 pubs for drinkers to discover, making it the perfect location for a pub crawl.

The study combined data on customer reviews, number of unique beers and the number of top rated pubs and microbreweries in each city to create an index ranking. It also looked at the most popular pints to share on social media and which independent beers are each generation’s favourite.

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Sheffield was found to have the second highest amount of independent pubs of any UK city, second only to London which has a staggering 5,800. Third place goes to Birmingham which has 1,643 independents.

The Sheffield Tap, at Sheffield railway station in the city centre, is a 'busy station bar in a restored Edwardian refreshment room, popular for its extensive range of international beers.The Sheffield Tap, at Sheffield railway station in the city centre, is a 'busy station bar in a restored Edwardian refreshment room, popular for its extensive range of international beers.
The Sheffield Tap, at Sheffield railway station in the city centre, is a 'busy station bar in a restored Edwardian refreshment room, popular for its extensive range of international beers.

Some of Sheffielders’ favourite independent pubs are The Sheffield Tap, in the railway station, The Fat Cat which is located in Kelham Island, known as the home of real ale, and Wick At Both Ends, a cosy pub located on West Street in the city centre.

The steel city (or should that be stein city?) has received a 6.2 average star rating for pub location, meaning this winter punters will never have to stumble very far in the cold to their next boozy destination.

Whilst the pandemic has wrought untold damage across publand, South Yorkshire’s pub industry has remained resilient, according to CAMRA.

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CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide for 2022 includes 78 South Yorkshire pubs, three of which are new entries, and 39 South Yorkshire breweries, or which two are new to the guide.

The Wick At Both Ends pub in West Street, Sheffield.The Wick At Both Ends pub in West Street, Sheffield.
The Wick At Both Ends pub in West Street, Sheffield.

CAMRA National Chairman, Nik Antona, said: “After the struggles of the past 18 months for the industry, it is great that The Good Beer Guide figures are showing the resilience of pubs and brewers in the face of strife – a national increase in brewery numbers after they dipped last year for the first time, as well as over 500 new pub entries. This is great to see, especially coupled with the news from the Government’s latest Budget, including the announcement of a new, lower rate of duty for draught beer and cider.”

The full breakdown of the Brewdex data can be found here: https://bionic.co.uk/blog/bionic-brewdex-the-best-uk-cities-for-the-perfect-pint/.

Related topics:SheffieldBirminghamCAMRAKelham Island