Walking up the Moor the other day, I couldn’t help but get nostalgic about some of the shops that used to be there, including Roberts Brothers. Built in 1954 the shop was a successful department store situated along a busy bus route - long since pedestrianised. I used to go there with my parents who bought carpets from their large carpet department.  When I first left school I went and had my hair “done” in their hairdressing department.  It was all a very “are you being served?” sort of era, and it’s so sad to see the shop totally boarded up, with the obligatory graffiti blazened across its doors and windows.   A far cry from the hustle and bustle of the Moor many years ago, when there was Atkinsons, Marks and Spencers, Woolworths, BHS, Pauldens just in that 150 yard stretch! 

And further into town, who remembers Walsh’s, Cole Brothers and T.B. & W. Cockayne?  (You can tell from me giving the full title that I once worked there, hence it’s Sunday name.)  I loved Cockaynes – it was quite “posh” and my first job there was in the tube room where all the cash was sent via a series of compressed air tubes.  It was a great experience for a teenage girl. 

After that I went to work in the office at C & A just across the road and right next to Peter Robinsons. Working in a large fashion store was exciting in the late 60′s and early 70′s and we were privileged to see the creation of Top Shop, the shop for young people on the top floor of Peter Robinsons.  Don’t forget that we invented “teenagers” and fashion was just becoming vibrant, unique and fun. 

Of course this was in the era when we had the “hole in the road” too and Sheffield seemed to be teeming with life, excitement and prospects.  Most men worked in the steel industry which was thriving and provided a good standard of living to them, unlike the sorry state of affairs these days.  Look at Carlisle Street today – hardly an encouraging sight for an industrial northern city, known as the fourth largest in the country!

I can still picture it all as if it was yesterday, and can still name some of the shops going up High Street and into Fargate (at least the Alzheimers hasn’t set in yet thank goodness!)  There was Van Allen, Richards, and Davy’s the bakers to name just a few.   I used to go to a coffee bar on Chapel Walk, and when I was old enough to the pub in the High Street which was the Blue Bell, or the Black Swan, down Angel Street, or to the cinema – the Classic in Fitzalan Square or the ABC in Angel Street.   

So walking through Sheffield and noting the changes doesn’t soften that feeling of sorrow for the way things were, and for the people who used to enjoy the city centre in the years of boom.  And feel sad to see buildings like Roberts Brothers brought to such a dismal end.

It’s about time that we had some more ”European” style al fresco eating and drinking in Sheffield.  As well as the recently opened Leopold Square and the area surrounding Millenium Gardens (previously known as the Peace Gardens) there is also the Plaza within the premier West One development. This summer the shops, bars and restaurants have teamed up to provide some entertainment for Saturday afternoons.

What a great way to end your Saturday afternoon shopping or begin your evening?  Sitting outside on a fine day is something so pleasurable that when you add a drink and some great music – things can’t get much better than that!

Look at this amazing car!  Someone has approached the World Cup with a sense of humour and some creative ability – the car is completely turfed!  Let’s hope we win so this car can be driven around throughout the whole summer – it’s such a pleasure to see.

You may never have heard of him, I certainly hadn’t.  But each time you go to the dentist and need an x-ray, it’s all thanks to a Sheffield dentist Frank Harrison.

Frank was born in August 1859 and died in 1912, but during his lifetime  he was instrumental in developing dentistry in Sheffield.  The plaque was placed on the house at 297 Glossop Road,  where he and his father practiced dentistry,  in honour of his achievement.  During his life as a dentist and an expert photographer, he persevered with his rudimentary x-ray techniques to produce images that would help him and other dentists and surgeons assist their patients.  He was instrumental in developing dentistry in Sheffield, particularly for children, and formed the dentistry department within the Sheffield Royal Hospital, as well as the School of Dentistry, still there today!  It’s nice to know that almost a century since his death, his achievement is still significant today and marked in such a visible way.

Glossop Road baths have played such an important part in Sheffield’s history that it’s good to see that the the building from the outside still looks almost the same – at first glance!  True, there are now apartments, a Chinese and an Indian restaurant accommodated within the building; as well as a Wetherspoons pub.  But, all in all, the facade has been kept intact and Glossop Road is all the better for having this amazing historic building.

Anyone researching Sheffield’s history will know that Glossop Road was built in the 19th century as a middle class area, as opposed to the slums that were situated further down; near the river and beyond.  In fact Glossop Road baths were opened in 1836 as a medical facility to allow people to bathe at the height of the cholera epidemic which caused hundreds of people to lose their lives.  Before the baths opened people had only the River Don in which to bathe.  It wasn’t until much later that the Sheffield Bath Co. Ltd. bought the baths for £2,500 when bathing became recreational rather than medicinal.  They opened the baths and the  Turkish baths in 1877 and and at the time this was  a real cause for celebration and something the city was very proud of.  In fact there was a vote in 1906 to change the water in the baths more frequently than twice a week due to its popularity!

The Turkish baths have been re-furbished to a high standard and form part of the Spa 1877 experience, which also include treatment rooms for facials and massages etc. plus a first class hair salon, which is based in the old boiler house of the baths.  Isn’t it great to know that the people of Sheffield are still using the building today in the 21st Century?  It’s a wonderful piece of architecture and hopefully it will grace Glossop Road for another 2 centuries at least!

It’s almost gone!  The old fire station on Wellington Street has almost disappeared forever – you can see from this picture that there’s just the outer walls left to demolish.   And it’s not as if it was really old!   

It will be really interesting to see the refurbishment of the site and to see the shopping centre and transport centre that’s planned for the whole of that part of town.  I know it was put on hold because of the recession but it looks as if things might just be moving now – slowly – but surely.

What a great place to meet up with your friends!  Las Iguanas is situated in the West One complex amongst other bars and restaurants that give the whole area a vibrancy within the city centre.

Las Iguanas has special offers on meals and drinks during  the early evening on most days and so can be economical for the budget conscious.  But the drinks and the food are really good and quite adventurous!  The cocktails are delicious, the beer cold;  and the menu offers a wide and varied selection of  interesting meals, snacks and tapas (great for sharing!)

It’s one of those places where you can meet up with your work colleagues, your family or simply your other half and thoroughly enjoy the night.

This building at the end of Charter Road is quite dramatic, in a 1960′s concrete way.  The sheer size of it, plus the fact there are no windows, make it seem mysterious and functional at the same time.  But what function does it have?  On first looking at it you might think it was a multi storey car park, I know I did!  But it’s actually a telecommunications centre, belonging to BT I believe.  Lots of technicians and telecommunications engineers spend their time within the building, along with the wires, cables and transmitting gizmos.  What a shame the outside of the building is so “prison-like”.  Not a good look. 

If you live or work in town, or visit town for an evening out;  this is the man who will be watching out for you.  It’s Andy Chapman, top security man for the Forum Group.  You can’t mistake him.  In this photo he’s not wearing his trademark black coat, but that doesn’t mean he’s not watchful.  He makes sure that you’re safe from potential harm and when you go out to enjoy yourself that’s what you do - you enjoy it,  because Andy and his team are watching your back! 

He’s the man with the most amazing life history – but that’s for another time!

I have walked past this chapel for years and years, sometimes without giving it a second glance in my rush up or down Norfolk Street.  At other times I’ve paused to admire the serenity of the forecourt where people often sit and each their lunch, or take a well earned rest from shopping.

When I saw that it had opened its doors to the public I couldn’t resist the temptation to go inside.  It doesn’t matter whether you are a regular church-goer or someone that only attends weddings, christenings and funerals; the architecture and history in our churches is quite awe inspiring.  And this relatively small Sheffield chapel doesn’t disappoint. It is on two floors which is quite unusual; and has a beautifully painted ceiling that is rich and ornamental. Indeed the four corner symbols depict the four evangelists – Eagle (John), Angel (Matthew), Lion (Mark) and Ox (Luke).  Its windows are all by Henry Holiday and are memorials to the people of Sheffield, either individually or collectively.  One commerorates those who lost their lives in the first World War, whilst another acknowledges the ladies of the upper chapel who supplied garments for the troops in the 1914-1918 war and who also arranged accommodation for refugees from Belgium and France. 

You can see from this picture how warm and welcoming the chapel is.  The ceiling is high, to accommodate the second viewing level and the richness of the wood gleams from the years and years of polishing. 

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love learning about the past in a local way.  The people who worshipped here walked up and down Norfolk Street too;  albeit a very different Norfolk Street in those days.  But they lived in this city, worshipped in this city, and passed from life but left their legacy.  These days there are so many churches and chapels that are abandoned and left empty. Often they are turned over to developers, especially those with prime city centre locations where land is at a premium.  The congregation of this chapel are to be congratulated on moving forward into yet another century whilst keeping their history, their building and their faith intact.