Glossop Road: New Sheffield city centre bar planned at former home of famous Sinclairs department store

A new late-night bar could be set to open soon at the former site of a famous Sheffield city centre department store.

A licensing application has been submitted for a bar at 266 Glossop Road, which would be allowed to open until 2am Monday to Saturday and until 1am on Sundays, if the bid is approved by Sheffield City Council.

The application by Steven Zsirai requests permission to show films, host indoor sporting events and play live and recorded music at the venue.

266 Glossop Road was home to Sinclairs department store, famous for selling luxury goods, for more 50 years, from 1967 until 2019, when it moved to new premises on Ecclesall Road. At the time, Cristian Sinclair complained that his staff were ‘constantly inundated’ with drunks and drug addicts outside the store and along West Street. The address is still listed on the Sinclairs website as the firm's registered office.

The large unit was taken over by the burger restaurant So Famous but that closed following mixed reviews, with an average rating of just 2.5 stars on Tripadvisor but a more respectable 3.9-star score on Google reviews.

The proposed name for the new bar is not known at this stage. Earlier this year, plans to change the approved use of the premises from retail to restaurant use were approved, despite complaints from some residents about the potential noise disturbance.

The application, by Steve Zsirai, was approved after council planning officers said the proposed changes would have 'an acceptable impact on the amenities of the locality'.