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THE OLD BLUE BELL


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THE OLD BLUE BELL

(now Cavells)

LOCATION

31 High Street, Sheffield City Centre

post-1-1171370360.jpg

The Old Blue Bell was originally built as a replacement for 'The Blue Bell' that used to be located opposite, across the road on High Street.

My memories of this pub was that it was dark and more rock influenced than other townie pubs around it. I know before it changed to Cavells that the owner was a former DJ called Brian who launched the radio station that was piped into other bars on a network (basically a radio station based at the Fountain Bar where music was piped into places like Legends, The Blue Bell and other venues that paid for the service)

The layout of the Old Blue Bell was pretty simple - a long dark room with the DJ on a slight platform directly to your right as you walked in the high street front door. The bar was down the right hand side and the floor was (I think) black stone slabs/tiles ?

There's also (still) a downstairs of an even bigger dimension - this was used as practice rooms for bands I think

I know that during the early 80's and late 70's that the place had a 'bit of a reputation' and was avoided by some folk

The back entrance opened up straight into the yard and the door that was the Radio Hallam front door too !

As Cavells (same owners and owners of West Street Live too) the place is totally different, much lighter, brighter, cleaner and obviously now a cafe bar that serves food throughout the day.

cavells.jpg

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As you say it was just a long narrow bar with a few tablesa and a loud Juke Box. This used to be our starting off pub for a night on the town then out the back door and down to the Dove & Rainbow. The downstairs you mention was not part of the pub when I used to frequent it but remember it being a non alcoholic disco called "Down Broadway"

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*we've left a message for Brian and Dean to come on and help us fill in the gaps for the Blue Bell and high street*

Hopefully they will help us out !!

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Guest wymowl

Remember this pub well,got done for underage drinking here in the late 70,s.I,m sure at the time the landlord was Willis Osgothorpe(not sure of spelling)who also had a pub up shiregreen if my memory serves.

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THE OLD BLUE BELL

(now Cavells)

LOCATION

31 High Street, Sheffield City Centre

The Old Blue Bell was originally built as a replacement for 'The Blue Bell' that used to be located opposite, across the road on High Street.

My memories of this pub was that it was dark and more rock influenced than other townie pubs around it. I know before it changed to Cavells that the owner was a former DJ called Brian who launched the radio station that was piped into other bars on a network (basically a radio station based at the Fountain Bar where music was piped into places like Legends, The Blue Bell and other venues that paid for the service)

The layout of the Old Blue Bell was pretty simple - a long dark room with the DJ on a slight platform directly to your right as you walked in the high street front door. The bar was down the right hand side and the floor was (I think) black stone slabs/tiles ?

There's also (still) a downstairs of an even bigger dimension - this was used as practice rooms for bands I think

I know that during the early 80's and late 70's that the place had a 'bit of a reputation' and was avoided by some folk

The back entrance opened up straight into the yard and the door that was the Radio Hallam front door too !

As Cavells (same owners and owners of West Street Live too) the place is totally different, much lighter, brighter, cleaner and obviously now a cafe bar that serves food throughout the day.

LAYOUT

MUSIC

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I remember this pub in the early Sixties. It had a quiet room upstairs that you could have a drink before catching the 52 bus home. The downstairs was a totally different affair and frequented by hippy types from the Art College. The smoke certainly smelled differently in that room. It featured on a TV documentary about the drug trade between Manchester and Sheffield. We met the girl featured in the film in the Raven at the top of Fitzwilliam Street and took her to the Old Blue Bell. Happy days!

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Guest radiolarium

Remember this pub well,got done for underage drinking here in the late 70,s.I,m sure at the time the landlord was Willis Osgothorpe(not sure of spelling)who also had a pub up shiregreen if my memory serves.

Your memory does not serve you at all well.

The name is spelt Osgathorpe

He wasn't prosecuted for servering underage drinkers to my knowledge although I know it was of serious concern to mr Osgathorpe with the chaps coming in. In fact the pub was very strick on this matter.

He didn't have another pub.

Hope this helps

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