Division Street looking towards Devonshire Green and West One - on a rather quiet day.
For the last 15 years or so this street has been a hub for good pubs, bars and independent shops. Although bigger companies like Starbucks and Subway are cashing in on it's busyness, it doesn't seem to be lessening the pull factor of this area. Just last week it was the centre of everything going on in the Tramlines music festival (notice the banner still across the street), where it was transformed in to a Notting-Hill-Carnival-like lane of walking, talking, drinking, singing, and dancing.
St. Stephens Church of the Holy Spirit, Gifford Road.
There's quite a few Mosques, community centres and other 'gathering' places in the city that are housed in ex-shops and offices and the like, but never before have I seen a church in a terraced house.
The old Central Technical School - Science School on Orchard Lane.
Last year, work was completed (mostly) on the redevelopment of the old Sheffield Central Technical School. Since it's beginnings it had also been the City Council's Education offices, before it's new incarnation as a contemporary 'leisure destination' - Leopold Square, a nicely designed square surrounded by bars, restaurant and a hotel.
If you walk around the perimeter, you can find some great views of the buildings that have been kept in great original condition - stonework at least. Here on Orchard Lane you can see the entrance to the old Science School together with original, ornate carvings.
The morning bus on the way to work.
Most of the pictures I take for this blog are taken on my way to and from work. On occasion though I am running a little late and don't have the 45 minutes to walk to work - this results in getting the bus. I hate it. I think the public transport (buses predominantly) system in Sheffield is awful. Through the nose prices for a second rate service, on some of the worst roads in the country, I'll cease rant now :)
Town as seen from Chesterfield Rd.
I just looked back on my way home and noticed how the new 'Wheel of Sheffield' had changed the cityscape, I've heard that it'll be here for 6 months so I guess it will end up in many peoples photos. I'm sure a there will be a few on this site!
A rainbow over Lidl, Heeley.
I just thought this was very apt for the current economic climate. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow being discounted offers at a cheap supermarket.
Fudge-arama.
The international markets are back on Fargate and Pinstone Street. I love them. They're a great place to spend your lunch hour if you work in town, or great to walk around at weekends. They include a brilliant arrray of international food (both hot-and-ready-to-eat or ingredients), clothing, artwork and much more. As i finished work they were starting to pack up but there was still a lot of stalls open. This candy stall was one of the ones closing but the array of sweets left was fantastic. I couldn't help but notice it with all the colours, but even more the smell was amazing. I had no cash on me but will make sure I go back tomorrow, the fudge looked mega! These guy's were just outside the Town Hall steps.
The Meers Brook tributary of The Sheaf.
This river gives it's name to our city - the 'fields' aside the 'Sheaf'. It runs from it's source in Totley, northwards under the city centre, to where it meets the River Don. More info here.
The Walking Man by George Fullard outside the Winter Gardens.
When I was a skateboarding youth we used to run for cover, from the rain, to the walkway under the old Town Hall offices - we called it the 'Town Hall steps' or the 'Walking Man'. The latter name was down to the name of the bronze statue that also shared this spot with us.
Since the offices (the 'egg boxes') have been torn down this statue has a been moved twice, and is currently in a great spot outside the Winter Gardens on Surrey Street. I personally hope it stays here.
Created by local artist George Fullard in concrete in 1957, it was bought by the council and turned to bronze in 1985. Fullard was an active socialist and war veteran, there's some snippets of info here and here and a bit more about Walking Man here.
Cyclists pedalling home along Saxon Rd.
As I walked up Broadfield Rd, off London Rd, there was suddenly a huge influx of cyclists coming out of the cycle/footpath that come through from Chippinghouse Rd. At first I thought they would all be together and be from some sort of cycling club, but as they passed me and just kept on coming in a steady trickle I realised (by their manner and lack of interaction with each other)that it was just cycle traffic - weird, but good to see.
The frame of the wheel during it's construction, Town Hall in the background.
I rounded the corner the other morning to see a huge cordoned off area at the top of Fargate. I wasn't sure what it was until the next day when the frame had started going up and there was a sign. They are currently constructing a mini-London Eye in Sheffield. I will try and get on it next week (although it's up for 6 months) and take some snaps from the top. More can be read here.
Ripping down the 1950's shops at the bottom of The Moor.
After being rebuilt in the 50s, The Moor was one of the main shopping streets in Sheffield, but in recent years has fallen in the quality stakes, and the buildings have soon become dated and quite ugly. A small history can be read here. These redevelopments were undertaken due to it being bombed quite heavily in the Second World War. 'Apparently' the Luftwaffe thought it was a steel works due to the lamp-lit tram tracks running up through the middle.
It is currently undergoing a new redevelopment and rebrand - website here.
Fire fIghters preparing an engine at the new South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue headquarters.
With all the redevelopment in the city centre, the old location of the South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue had become prime real estate in the plans for the new retail 'quarter'. The new HQ on Eyre St is now functional and looks great.
The Hallam Union 'Hubs' at the bottom of the Lane.
I've only been walking around the back streets off Arundel Gate since I've been doing this blog, and now I think there's some of the city centre's best views on these streets. When you walk along Eyre Lane and you're met with the back views of old (refurbished) workshops and warehouses it looks like you could have travelled back in time. When you get to Charles Lane though and look down you have this great view of the 'Hubs', the Sheffield Hallam Students Union building (modelled on 4 huge kettle drums). A nice surprise view.
The front steps and columns of Sheffield City Hall.
Sheffield City Hall is a great venue that I've visited many times. Completed in 1932, it is a Grade-ii listed building bang in the middle of town that has seen many a great performer, notibly greats like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. For a good brief history click here. The fountains in the foreground were installed as part of the refurbishments that were completed in 2005, that incorporated the surrounding section of Barkers Pool. Both inside and out really do look great now, £12.5 million well spent!
Q-Park as seen from over the roofs on Eyre Lane.
I love this shot. I just thought it was a great contrast of two totally different types of architecture/building. I know the roof in the foreground isn't one of the oldest in Sheffield but it still shows the contrast between building methods of old and new.
The Ivory Restaurant and Piano Bar on Regents Terrace in the old Harrison's building.
Unfortunately I couldn't find much out about the bold statement painted on the front of this Grade-ii listed building on Regents Terrace. W.E. Harrison's Steeplejacks used to be situated there but it is now a restaurant and piano bar called The Ivory. The building signage reads "Steeplejack of Nelson Column fame", all I could find out that 'Teedy' (?) Harrison was the first man to climb Nelson's Column back in 1896.
The company still exists and is still on the same road, but just a bit further up, in a much smaller premises.
The band playing in the Peace Gardens this afternoon.
I stumbled upon a great little event in town as I was walking home today. As I walked past the Peace Gardens it was awash with colour and music. There was an alternative brass band playing called the Bollywood Brass Band (that were fantastic), dancing, art and more. It was all part of the In My Shoes roadshow, an event that is put together to bring together all different walks of life from the city and to share their stories.
Cllr Paul Scriven, Leader of Sheffield City Council and Chair of Sheffield First Partnership said:
The more we understand each other, the harder it is to be intolerant and the easier it is to work together on the things we all care about.
I think it's a great idea, and you can join in at any time via the website, but also check out the other roadshows this week.
The library and gallery as seen from Surrey St.
My favourite building in Sheffield on my favourite street. A short history here.
Dulo on Cemetery Road and it's mural wall.
About six years ago Dulo was opened, in place of the Beer Engine pub. I used to go in the 'Engine' on a Friday as I worked just round the corner at a screen printers on London Rd, a decent boozer, but the loss of that pub was overshadowed by the opening of this one. It was a fantastic place and I've had many a good night in there.
Bad news... Dulo is closing. This Friday Dulo will open to the public for the last time. I'm sure it'll be a massive night, full to the brim with laughs a plenty because Okie (the landlord) and the crew always put on a good bash.
The long wall on the side of Dulo has pretty much always been used as a mural wall, normally something do to with artist Kid Acne (if not totally his doing). He's been drafted in to do their last one - a nice simple "That'll learn 'em", Sheffield dialect for 'that will teach them'. I don't know the reason for the closure and whether this statement is relevent to that or not. I thought the two might be related as it's similar in styling to the 'You'll miss me when I'm gone' piece that 'Accers' did on the Psalter Lane Art School (before redevelopment).
Thanks for the memories Dulo, it's been grand.
The sky over Meersbrook Edge.
Today I had the afternoon off work, and isn't it typical, the heatwave ends and the heavens opened for most of the day. Luckily though we were graced with another nice evening, before the rain (and another summer of no Brits in the Wimbledon final - yes, I sat and watched the tennis) continues.
The Andrew Motion poem on the side of Hallam Uni, as viewed from Arundel Street .
There's loads of great new architecture and public art to welcome visitors to Sheffield when arriving via the central train station. One of my favourite (non-architecture) pieces is this wall mounted poem on the side of the Sheffield Hallam University building.
The poem is by Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion. It reads in full:
O travellers from somewhere else to here
Rising from Sheffield Station and Sheaf Square
To wander through the labyrinths of air,
Pause now, and let the sight of this sheer cliff
Become a priming-place which lifts you off
To speculate
What if..?
What if..?
What if..?
Cloud shadows drag their hands across the white;
Rain prints the sudden darkness of its weight;
Sun falls and leaves the bleaching evidence of light.
Your thoughts are like this too: as fixed as words
Set down to decorate a blank facade
And yet, as words are too, all soon transferred
To greet and understand what lies ahead -
The city where your dreamling is re-paid,
The lives which wait unseen as yet, unread.
You can see more about the poet on his website www.andrewmotion.co.uk
Hottest day of the year so far in Sheffield today.
Sorry to go on about the weather again, but it's another hot one today, hottest day so far this year at over 28°C. I went for a run at about 8pm, and god was it tricky.
As I recovered in my garden afterwards I noticed I had a pic to go in the City Daily Photo Theme Day which today was 'empty'. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
All photos © 2009 - 2016 Sheffield Daily Photo
Please leave a comment if you'd like to use any of them, thanks.
Posts
