Fat Cat Pub

The beer is always excellent, as is the food. But I always find the atmosphere a little subdued, almost to the point of being funereal. To be honest it's time for a complete rejigging of the downstairs bar areas.

Now I know this will be heresy to the bearded pilgrims who sit chatting in hushed, reverent tones, but I'm sure the bar staff could use a little room to work in rather than looking like a rag week stunt to cram as many people into a telephone booth.

Also, getting served at a tiny hatch from where you can't see the pumps is very tedious!

Since the smoking ban, having two separate rooms is no longer necessary. Open it up and let the dogs see the rabbit.

You never know you, just might cheer the place up a little.

The former Kelham Island Brewery building, next to the Fat Cat pub in Kelham Island, could soon be given a new lease of life as a seafood restaurant.

Plans have been submitted to Sheffield City Council to change the use of the Alma Street building, which was once at the heart of Sheffield's modern brewing revival. Kelham Island Property Limited, which owns the site, says the building is no longer used as a brewery and is currently vacant.

The brewery operated from the site for around 32 years and was best known for beers such as Pale Rider. In a letter submitted with the planning application, the applicant says the building has been empty since the brewery closed in 2022.

The letter states that the proposed change of use would allow the building to operate as a restaurant, with the current intention being "a high-quality seafood-based food offer". It adds that the restaurant would aim to use locally based ingredients, including the potential use of Kelham Island Brewery ales in fish batters, as a nod to the building's former use.

Most customers would be expected to eat in, although takeaway sales are also planned. The application suggests an approximate split of 70 per cent dine-in customers and 30 per cent takeaway.

If permission is granted, the restaurant would open from 11:30am to 11pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and would be closed on Mondays. The plans also include some alterations to the building.

Kelham Island Brewery was widely regarded as a landmark in the city's beer history. When it opened in 1990, in the beer garden of The Fat Cat pub, it was said to be Sheffield's first independent brewery for 100 years. Its closure was announced in May 2022 after the business was badly affected by the Covid pandemic.

Although brewing stopped at the Alma Street site three years ago, the Kelham Island Brewery brand has since been rescued. A consortium including Tramlines festival co-founder James O'Hara and Thornbridge Brewery stepped in to keep the beers in production elsewhere.

At the time of the rescue, Mr O'Hara said the brewery and its flagship beer had a reputation well beyond the city. He described it as heritage that Sheffield should be proud of, adding that it meant too much to the city and to the UK's beer culture to simply disappear.

Now, the former brewery building itself could be set for a new chapter, pending the outcome of the planning application.

Dave Wickett, owner of the Fat Cat pub at Kelham Island, is angry that his top-rated kitchen has been incorrectly labelled as receiving zero stars after an inspection.

The rating, published through Scores on the Doors, is incorrect and also outdated, with the inspection having taken place in February 2007. At the time the pub should have been awarded 3 stars, and it has since been completely refitted and gone through stringent tests, after becoming contaminated in the floods of summer 2007.

Sheffield City Council has now updated the Fat Cat's score, giving them 3 stars out of 5.

The Fat Cat near Shalesmoor is hosting the ceremony for the "mashing in" of Sheffield's Golden Jubilee Ale. The commemorative ale, "The Star Golden Jubilee Ale", will be celebrated on Wednesday 17th April at 3:30PM. The ceremony will be undertaken by Marian Rae, High Sheriff of South Yorkshire, and Peter Charlton, editor of The Star. Other civic dignitaries and beer lovers will be in attandance, and of course, everybody is welcome. There are other events planned for May, so once again, watch this space!