The 10 best things about Sheffield
I bloody love Sheffield and so thought I’d share with you the 10 best things about the mighty Sheffield… (In my humble opinion)
1. We breed the very best folk
Jarvis Cocker, Arctic Monkeys, Jessica Ennis to name but a few. Sheffield is home to a huge amount of amazing people, the great Sean Bean, Joe Cocker, Michael Palin also hail from our great city.
But it’s not just the famous folk, the people of Sheffield are the warmest, funniest, most generous in all the land. After the farce of the Sheffield Half Marathon this year (officially cancelled minutes before the start) Sheffielders came through and did us all proud with local people handing out bottles and cups of water to the runners who ran anyway.
People of Sheffield are proud and no matter where they live in the world, Sheffield is always in their hearts…
Totes braggy photo of me and Jarvis…
2. The Snooker makes us all fans and experts once a year
Once a year, everyone in Sheffield becomes a snooker fan! The World Snooker Championship held at Sheffield’s mighty Crucible Theatre is a sporting highlight that shines a light on our great city.
It matters not if you never look at another snooker table for the rest of the year, throughout the championships Sheffielders are experts on 147 breaks, snooker tactics and we all DEFINITELY once saw Ronnie O’Sullivan in town…
3. We have the best music scene
Sheffield has always had strong ties to live music, we have some great larger venues, but even better smaller ones that host such a range of music that fit to all tastes… From Corporation to The Plug, Leadmill to the The Harley.
Music in Sheffield is exciting and I believe this is because we nurture young talent, a good Sheffield band take a place in your heart and are supported strongly. And because Sheffield is the world’s biggest village (see number 10) everyone knows everyone in the music scene… This is a nice thing! Going out in town means bumping into the who’s who of Sheffield music and collaborations and musical appreciation are rife.
Go take a look at Exposed for a foray into Sheffield music awesomeness…
Some Sheffield musicians are Arctic Monkeys, Bring Me the Horizon, Pulp, Def Leppard, Richard Hawley, Longpigs, Milburn, Reverend and the Makers, The Long Blondes… to name but a few!
4. We have our own festival… Tramlines
Sheffield has it’s very own inner city Glastonbury, Tramlines festival is HUGE and takes over the whole city with venues all across Sheffield from the main stage through to bars, pubs, parks and pretty much every space going. It’s one weekend a year where music lovers, families, hard core festival goers and festival virgins alike don a wristband and experience three days of music, arts and Sheffield love.
5. Hendersons is KING (and we are a bunch of foodies!)
Hendersons Relish… It’s a Sheffield staple. We hold Hendersons to our heart and have a ridiculous amount of love and pride for this spicy relish! We sing about it, make art from it, dress up like it. It’s as big a part of Sheffield as the now destroyed Cooling Towers (See number 9!)
“It was Mr Henry Henderson who first began manufacturing his own special type of sauce back in the late part of the 19th century. Originally manufactured at 35 Broad Lane in Sheffield, Henderson’s Relish is still being made and has been in uninterrupted production within half a mile of the site from which the first bottle was filled.”
This image of Jarvis Cocker is painted in the spicy yorkshire sauce…
You can buy prints of this amazing work here by Neil Antcliff.
But we aren’t just about the Hendos, Sheffield is fast becoming a foodie capital with amazing places to eat. Pub grub is so much more at The Great Gatsby by Shyboy Cantina and for something a little smarter the amazing Wasabisabi is a must. Sheffield Food blogger Feast and Glory is a great place to look for reviews and ideas on where to eat next time you are out!
6. Sheffield is the greenest city in the world!
61% of Sheffield’s entire area is green space, and a third of the city lies within the Peak District National park. There are more than 250 parks, woodlands and gardens in the city, and an estimated 2 million trees, giving Sheffield the highest ratio of trees to people of any city in Europe. There are 4 trees to every person in Sheffield… I love that fact!!
We are currently storming ahead in a vote for Sheffield to be the best UK city for country lovers…
These facts come from the Creative Sheffield site;
- Despite its urban location almost three-quarters of the city is taken up by natural vegetation and waterways.
- More than a third of the city is located in the Peak District National Park – no other city has a National Park within its boundary. You can find 10 epic walks in the Peak District here on the 10adventures website, all information on it is free-to-download for everyone, including GPS.
- In addition you’ll find 150 woodlands and 50 public parks all within Sheffield and it is rumoured that there are 4 mature trees to every person living here!
- Over 44 per cent of Sheffield residents live within a five minute walk of a wood and half the city’s population live within 15 minutes of the open countryside. Imagine that!
7. We have our own language
After thas finished tha snap tha can av some spice, orate?
Gi’or wi thisen, thas gorra get dahn thi jennel.
Neyow.
Understood? I love the confusion on people’s faces when they listen to a full on Sheffield accent, like the Full Monty but further…
In case you were wondering the above statements say
After you have finished your food, you can have some sweets, alright?
Give over with yourself (stop yourself, calm down), you have got to go down the alleyway between two buildings. (It is DEFINITELY a jennel and NOT a ginnel…)
8. We have a band who play ukeleles, make puns and swear a lot… Everly Pregnant Brothers
I love a ukelele. I love puns. So I was always going to love Everly Pregnant Brothers! A group of Sheffield men, including artist Pete McKee and singer ‘Big Shaun’, they play Sheffield ukelele versions of classic songs such as No Oven, No Pie (No woman, No cry) and Hendos (Yellow).
A Tramlines favourite, EPB are everything that is right and good in silly, funny music that doesn’t take itself too seriously…
If you are over 30, you may remember the Hole in The Road?! Yes? They sang about that too…
9. We all mourn the loss of the cooling towers
The Cooling Towers were an important part of Sheffield, the beacon on the M1 that said you were nearly home (or just getting to Meadowhall, yeah yeah I know I should probably have included Meadrall/MeadowHell or it’s many incarnations but you know, it’s just a massive shopping centre!!)
When they came down in 2008, a city mourned. There was an attempt to save them by artists, but alas they were demolished and an icon disappeared.
You can buy beautiful art prints by Jonathan Wilkinson here, seen below.
But plans to reuse the site for a £500,000 public art project are to go ahead and so perhaps we will soon have a new icon to behold!
10. We are the biggest village in the world!
We really are! Despite a population of over 550,000, Sheffield manages to redeem the feeling of living in a large Village. Perhaps because the city centre is the heart, with clusters of great areas surrounding or perhaps it is just the great people of Sheffield. Either way, you know on a stroll through town or a wander on Ecclesall Road you will most likely bump into a lot of people you know!
Sheffield just has a great feel to it, it has a character and an authenticity that Sheffielders hold close to their hearts. It is a great place to live and whenever I have been away for a while, coming back into the city always lifts my soul and makes me smile.
Sheffield and proud x
Sounds great! Serious question: what is the NHS like there for IBD? Great, OK, patchy until you find the right network? I ask because I’m scoping places with good universities where I could teach. And I have IBD. Thanks.
Sheffield hospitals are great. I moved from Rotherham to Sheffield last year and my care has been outstanding x
Thanks. With music and decent medical care, Sheffield goes on my list.
It really is a GREAT city!!!! The only issue with care is that there are 2 big hospitals. One is more medical, one more surgical and they are on opposite sides of the city! So it’s sometimes a pain if you have to go between the two. But it’s totally dealable.
I knew there was a bit if rivalry between medical and surgical, but separate hospitals is extreme (but makes sense for economic reasons). I see on the map there are lots of national parks around it. It’s tempting!
Sounds great! Serious question: what is the NHS like there for IBD? Great, OK, patchy until you find the right network? I ask because I’m scoping places with good universities where I could teach. And I have IBD. Thanks.
Sheffield hospitals are great. I moved from Rotherham to Sheffield last year and my care has been outstanding x
Thanks. With music and decent medical care, Sheffield goes on my list.
It really is a GREAT city!!!! The only issue with care is that there are 2 big hospitals. One is more medical, one more surgical and they are on opposite sides of the city! So it’s sometimes a pain if you have to go between the two. But it’s totally dealable.
I knew there was a bit if rivalry between medical and surgical, but separate hospitals is extreme (but makes sense for economic reasons). I see on the map there are lots of national parks around it. It’s tempting!
Not first time I’ve eeard this.
Not first time I’ve eeard this.
11) you forgot to mention the fish cakes xx
11) you forgot to mention the fish cakes xx
born and bred there loved it, but have you noticed whenever the Blitz are mentioned it’s always London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool but never Sheffield ?
born and bred there loved it, but have you noticed whenever the Blitz are mentioned it’s always London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool but never Sheffield ?
Sheffield has a tartan that’s unique.
https://cityofsheffieldpipeband.wordpress.com
Sheffield has a tartan that’s unique.
https://cityofsheffieldpipeband.wordpress.com
Don’t forget Paul Carrack off your famous list, another Crookes lad like Joe Cocker!
Don’t forget Paul Carrack off your famous list, another Crookes lad like Joe Cocker!
Sheffield is a dump, full of immigrants and getting worse, even the affluent areas have gypsy sites. The roads are th worst in the country and the council arnt much better. I hate the city, born here and can’t wait to leave. Complete dump, give it a miss
Sheffield is a dump, full of immigrants and getting worse, even the affluent areas have gypsy sites. The roads are th worst in the country and the council arnt much better. I hate the city, born here and can’t wait to leave. Complete dump, give it a miss
Moved away recently to be near the surf. The only thing Sheffield lacks for me is being near the sea……..that said, it is by far the best city on the planet and I am and will be forever ‘Sheffield’, in my heart!
Moved away recently to be near the surf. The only thing Sheffield lacks for me is being near the sea……..that said, it is by far the best city on the planet and I am and will be forever ‘Sheffield’, in my heart!
Nawwww, now you’ve gone and made me all homesick. I need a packet of pork scratchings, pie and peys, and a pint on West Street, now. Brilliant list.
Awww I’m sorry!!! Once a Sheffielder, always a Sheffielder!
Nawwww, now you’ve gone and made me all homesick. I need a packet of pork scratchings, pie and peys, and a pint on West Street, now. Brilliant list.
Awww I’m sorry!!! Once a Sheffielder, always a Sheffielder!
Brilliant piece Sam xxx
Thank you!
Brilliant piece Sam xxx
Thank you!
No mention of The Human League?? Come on! Sheffield’s innovators of electro. They’ve never left the city, never gave up, still tour the world and record the occasional album. Sheffield should be more proud of this classic band….
You’re so right! There is so much more I could have written about and so many influential wonderful people!!!
I may have to write another 10!! X
No mention of The Human League?? Come on! Sheffield’s innovators of electro. They’ve never left the city, never gave up, still tour the world and record the occasional album. Sheffield should be more proud of this classic band….
You’re so right! There is so much more I could have written about and so many influential wonderful people!!!
I may have to write another 10!! X
Smashing post, yes write some more x
Smashing post, yes write some more x
I live by the coast in Argentina. Nearly always sunny and warm but Sheffield it ain’t. Cold lager may be refreshing but it is no substitute for a decent pint of Wards or Stones. No West Street here for a pub crawl and a blow-out at an Indian restaurant. On the plus side the language is easier to learn! (or so I am told).
Chris of Buenos Aires (formerly of Shiregreen)
I live by the coast in Argentina. Nearly always sunny and warm but Sheffield it ain’t. Cold lager may be refreshing but it is no substitute for a decent pint of Wards or Stones. No West Street here for a pub crawl and a blow-out at an Indian restaurant. On the plus side the language is easier to learn! (or so I am told).
Chris of Buenos Aires (formerly of Shiregreen)
David. Well done. What a Lovely post. Yes Sheffield has its problems, but to those of us born here, it will always be the Best. An the Knockers can leave by the Back Door!!!!!
David. Well done. What a Lovely post. Yes Sheffield has its problems, but to those of us born here, it will always be the Best. An the Knockers can leave by the Back Door!!!!!
Really amazing blog, I loved reading it, it is very well written, please keep on writing blogs like this in future as well.