Price: can’t agree that Thronbridge is too pricey. I always found the prcies at the Bath to be one of the few things that kept me away. You can get a cheaper good pint at Henry’s (from a fantastic ale range) and across the road at The Beehive (watch out for those ‘suspect clientele’ though) or of course ‘Spoons.

Ale quality: The Hallamshire was always massively better at keeping beer than the Closed Shop and I never had a bad pint. Still a few lengths behind other ‘community’ pubs like the Cobden View though. Thornbridge is at least consistent and takes pride in its ale – just ‘cos I don’t like it doesn;t make it bad ale.

Attitude: I’m not sure if Mike P is still leading on the ‘pub grab’ but there are obviously hits and misses.. but one thing is sure is that his motivation is always to create a better pub than before – a bit of a problem for those of us that like slightly shabby pubs with good beer. I am slightly worried about the homgeniety argument – but as the pubs get established I am hoping that the shared ownership (or is it ‘franchise’) model that seems to be behind the new projects will mean that once the new car smell is gone a thousand flowers will bloom.

Politics: the less said about this the better. We have to be careful that someone with ready access to a pot of money to invest cannot be seen to squeeze out the chance for other less well endowed brewers and potential entrepreneurs to get in there. Mind you given the state of the nearest three pubs to me (Star and Garter, Hadfield and Springvale) and many, many others in central Sheffield alone there is, as folk have been heard to say when discussing a Thornbridge sister project, there’s plenty of unemployed to go round.

So in summary – don’t like the beer that much but on balance better than a bottle of Beck’s in Walkabout. But my number one is still Henry’s “Cafe Bar” for price, choice and service with a smile.

[I have no association with any trade that remotely connects with pubs, beer or anything else like it - I just drink responsibly in a range of pubs and bars!]

Thornbridge are a different fish compared to the other small and medium brewcos – founded out of a multimillion pound empire, entwined with directorships of property oriented businesses, and endowed with resources that the local micros could only dream of. it would seem they are keen to grab as large a slice of Sheffield’s burgeoning and profitable real ale scene as they can – eventually it’s going to cost another brewery dear.

Plus i’m not mad on their beers – mostly overpriced and overhopped for my tastes. As with most, i’m delighted that they are reviving pubs owned by the likes of Punch and Enterprise, but this latest landgrab has likely cost them my custom – i”ll stick to the Blake for now.