Centre Spot, Jaunty Lane, Basegreen.

[Jeff V]

This was a frequent destination in the early/mid sixties for me, they had a good concert room which was always full on a Saturday night to watch the live turn (they had some crackers on). when I turned eighteen I used to love going in, always a chance of leaving with company. It was also a bit like the Wild West sometimes, the odd chair flying around and even people wasting beer! But good memories for me. I have not been back in over forty years, I wonder if it has changed much?

[THYLACINE]

Can't say I was a regular at the Centre Spot, Jeff. I had a 650 BSA and used to knock around with a 'group' of bikies. We met at the Beehive on Dykes Hall road and occasionally we would hare off, en mass to some other venue. One night we went to the Centre Spot, I recall quite a large room with lots of tables and chairs, I imagine that was the concert room you mentioned. I can't say we were well received that night, the atmosphere was a bit tense and we didn't stick around too long. The second time we went all hell broke loose. That odd chair wasn't the only one flying around and there was probably some beer wasted that night. That was my last acquaintance with the Centre Spot - 45 years ago.

Look forward to hearing more about the Centre Spot, I can't find it on the pubs list ??

[Jeff V]

It is not on the pubs list, Thylacine. Hence my post. A BSA 650, I used to dream of owning a big bike, which model? I had to wait until I was in my late fifties before I passed my bike test and got my first real bike.

[DaveH]

The pubs list on this forum has a cut off date of around 1950 so does not included current details of landlords / managers. If a pub was built or first opened after this date it will not be in the list. I think the Jaunty / Basegreen area is 1950s so the pub is probably the same date.

[DaveH]

I used to be on the committee of Sheffield Steam & vintage club and between 2000 and 2008 we held our committee meetings and social meetings in The Centre Spot. I don't know if they still do. Mostly we used the big concert room at the back but sometimes we moved into the lounge at the front (most regulars use the tap room so this wasn't a problem) because there was a line dance group that also used the concert room for their meetings and dances. The pub still is still open (just) but has little trade these days and is struggling to find managers to run it or a buyer. Of course, if it is sold it may not remain a pub, but could become a church, an Indian restaurant, a cheap supermarket or something of that sort like most other local pubs have already.

[DaveH]

Pictures of The Centre Spot from 2008, - last time I went there for a steam club committee meeting

[THYLACINE]

It would have been the Rocket Gold Star which I bought from Charlie Freeman's, had it less than a year and someone stole it while I was watching a game at Bramall Lane. :(

I could talk for days about bikes but it's the wrong topic.

[DaveH]

It would have been the Rocket Gold Star which I bought from Charlie Freeman's, had it less than a year and someone stole it while I was watching a game at Bramall Lane. :(

I could talk for days about bikes but it's the wrong topic.

I wouldn't worry too much about that THYLACINE, there are topics on here about motorcycle shops in Sheffield and also about motorcycling in Sheffield. I also used to ride bikes in the 70s and 80s and I have made a few posts about my motorcycling escapades in the City.

[THYLACINE]

Really great photo's Dave, talk about a picture speaking a thousand words!

Even in bright sunshine it looks a sad and sorry place, just waiting for it's windows to be boarded up and the graffiti artists to move in.

[DaveH]

Really great photo's Dave, talk about a picture speaking a thousand words!

Even in bright sunshine it looks a sad and sorry place, just waiting for it's windows to be boarded up and the graffiti artists to move in.

Yes, and those photos are 5 to 6 years old now, so it could well be boarded up and for sale signs already.

I'll try and get some more recent pictures next time I take a walk out that way.

[hilldweller]

A pal of mine used to live a hundred yards or so from that pub.

He moved in as a young child when the estate was first built. He insisted that the pub got it's name from the fact that it was built over the culverted Shire Brook, and at one time half was in Sheffield and the other in Derbyshire.

Looking on Google Earth it seems that the stream runs a few yards to the north of the pub on the other side of the road, 'so it was probably one of those urban legends.

My mate was a big drinker but he wouldn't have been seen dead in the place according to him.

HD

[vox]

That makes two then HD because the Shire brook runs right underneath The Red Lion at Gleadless Town End as well.

[vox]

I had always assumed that it was so called because it is more or less in the middle of the Base Green Estate. If not geographically central, it is in the central shopping area.

[THYLACINE]

Isn't the pub sign a bit of a give away as to the origin of the name?

[SteveHB]

When was the pub built?
The reason why is not in the A-Z of pubs, is that it covers pre 1950's establishments, though one or two later pubs have slipped in.

[Jeff V]

Isn't the pub sign a bit of a give away as to the origin of the name?

Very observant Thylacine. Back in the day there was a lot footy played in the amateur leagues, and I seem to remember a few from here.

[Jeff V]

When was the pub built?

The reason why is not in the A-Z of pubs, is that it covers pre 1950's establishments, though one or two later pubs have slipped in.

The whole estate was built in the fifties I remember an Aunty was dead chuffed when she got a new council house up there around 1957

[vox]

Isn't the pub sign a bit of a give away as to the origin of the name?

Well, quite apart from my memory telling me that the sign many years ago was a bulls eye, a sign is surely a representation of a name, not the other way round.

Edit

Here it is, (memory not as bad as I thought it might be. )

Crop from this photo on Picture Sheffield

[DaveH]

Yes vox. Currently I don't think there is a hanging sign outside, but a few years ago it was a football centre spot (as in my picture), but in the 60s and 70s I can well remember it being an archery target centre spot (as in your picture) so it must be a literal interpretation of the name "Centre Spot" used to create a memorable image.

As to the origin of the name given to the pub I don't know.

As you say there are many streams and brooks in this area, I am sure they have been discussed on here in another topic. Many of them run in underground culverts so are hard to trace. The SHIRE Brook which runs under Birley Moor Road / Mansfield Road near the old bus terminus and which marked the historical divide between Sheffield (YorkSHIRE) and Frechville (at that time in DerbySHIRE) (hence its name) runs back through some woods down below Hollinsend Road and through the park / field behind Gleadless Junior school, disappearing into a culvert on Quarry Vale Road heading towards Jaunty Lane, so it could easily pass close by the Centre Spot.

[vox]

I still think it's more likely to be because it was built in the central area of the then new Basegreen Estate, and would have been a social centre in it's day.

[jackanne]

I lived just up the road from centre spot and remember watching them build it,probably about 1958/9,shire brook ran at the bottom of our garden,if it continued in a straight line it would be on right of pub in the photos.Spent lots of time in spot over many years but last time i went past it looked like many other estate pubs,a bit sad.

[DaveH]

Thanks for posting Jackanne, - the info about the Shire Brook is usful as it will give us a better fix on another of Sheffields "hidden" streams. To the right of the pub makes sense as it would then line up with the visible bit of Shire Brook in the section at the bottom of Gleadless Junior school field.