The rise of S6: why overlooked Hillsborough is now so in demand as a place to live

Homes in the Hillsborough and S6 postcode area have risen in value by between seven and ten per cent in the last year, a local estate agent has confirmed.

It comes as a number of coffee shops and bars open on Middlewood Road, and Age UK Sheffield are restoring the derelict Old Coach House building, next to Hillsborough Library, in a £1 million project that includes the addition of a new cafe.

Now, an estate agents director has said that the draw for families and individuals comes from a ‘range of factors’, and the average property is being snapped up.

Stuart Goff, director of Hunters Estate Agents in Hillsborough, said: “I think it’s combination of factors with Hillsborough.

"The prices are still reasonable, Sheffield is one of the cheapest cities in the country, and prices in Hillsborough are quite a lot less than they are in Crookes, which is only one mile up the road, but the S10 postcode instead of S6.

"And yet you have got everything you could want in Hillsborough. It has got a very decent shopping centre, probably now the main centre outside of the city centre in the suburbs, it has got the Supertram running through the middle, so it is good for transport, and it has decent supermarkets. The park is a big popular draw, and reasonable schools, so a combination of factors have made the demand going up.

"We have seen that house prices generally in the Hillsborough, S6 area have gone up by between about seven per cent and 10 per cent in the last 12 months.

“The average property we get at our Hillsborough branch is sold within a month, and a lot of them have got acceptable offers within a week. The demand is very, very high.”

Age UK are in the process of developing a new cafe in Hillsborough Park, as well as an activity centre and renovating the bowling green.

Steve Chu, chief executive of Age UK, said: “One reason we decided to take the building was because we thought it would be a good area to develop something like that because the park needs a cafe, it has good public transport links and has a population which is a mix of older people and young families who we know want good facilities in the local area.”

A host of new cafes and restaurants have opened up in the Hillsborough area, with restaurant Orange Bird and Polish eatery, Molly’s Café and Deli, both starting up on Middlewood Road despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pangolin, a new craft beer bar and bottle shop, has also recently opened up on Middlewood Road.

Anne Horner, owner of Orange Bird, says the audience is already in Hillsborough, but it just needs more ‘interesting’ independents.

She said: “The area has a mixed demographic but what we have seen since opening is that lots of people across different socio economic backgrounds, are excited that we have chosen to open in Hillsborough. They are delighted to have somewhere different that focuses on quality and that replaces a long empty building. A customer told me today that one of the reasons he and his partner bought their house in Hillsborough was because we were here and it held a promise for better things for the area.

"The only thing that is lacking in Hillsborough are a variety of interesting, independent businesses to entice people from across the city to the area and to keep locals here. The customers are already here. If there were more businesses such as bakers, antique shops, homeware stores, more quality restaurants, bars and cafes then people would shop here more.

“We are part of an unofficial Hillsborough business group who have just started discussing ideas to access the council grants for community recovery.

"We are excited for the possibilities for Hillsborough and think we can help improve the area in the long term. One issue that people who have been trading here longer than us, have highlighted is the lack of parking. At the moment it is hard to say how that will affect us but we love public transport and love being sited at Hillsborough Park tram stop.“Hillsborough is busy, full of potential, very overlooked and great to trade in. We have been getting on okay as a take out and have acquired lots of regular customers even though we’ve only been open four months. We can’t wait to open our doors properly as a restaurant and hopefully the people of Hillsborough and across the city will enjoy visiting us.”

Hillsborough resident Lauren Clarke, who has lived in the area for five years, said she chose the area due to its transport links and prices – but it ‘just keeps getting better.’

She added: “ Independent cafes, shops and bars have been popping up recently despite the pandemic, adding to the dozens of local and family businesses that already existed which has been wonderful to see and filling some of the empty shop fronts.

“Hillsborough is also a stone’s throw from the more happening – but more expensive - Kelham Island and the Peak District is a short drive away so I can have the best of city life while still being able to get out into the beautiful surrounding countryside.

“Hillsborough Is definitely overlooked as a place to live in Sheffield, surrounded by the more picturesque terraces of Walkley and Crookes.

“It has a lot of heart and I’m incredibly lucky to live here.”