Boardwalk / Black Swan: 'We'd restore legendary Sheffield venue as place to see gigs again'
It has a place in Sheffield’s huge musical history.
But a year after the Meltdown bar, on Snig Hill, closed, the bulding which was once home to the legendary Sheffield music venues the Black Swan, and the Boardwalk, is still unused.
The wall still carries the name of the Black Swan, but the venue remains closed, with a warning from a security company on what was once the entrance. Graffiti has been daubed on the exterior of the building.
The closure of Meltdown, which was a video games bar that was based there until last year, was reported last November. Since then, the building remains unused, despite its legendary status, as a place that was once home to early gigs by bands including the Sex Pistols and The Clash, as well as the Arctic Monkeys and Joe Cocker.
Now, some want to see it used again as a music venue - while others would see it pulled down.
We have found out what people would like to see done with the site now.
Sheffielders passing the building were generally clear about what they would like to see done with it.
Anthony Wathall, of Intake, told The Star he would like to see it as a music venue again, even though he had never been there in its glory days.
He said: “Sheffield has had a vibrant music past so something like that. You don’t hear that much about music round Sheffield, so yes.”
He felt the building had been closed too long and it would nice to see something done with that wider area, because he felt Snig Hill was looking run-down.
Neil Furness, of Sheffield, agreed. He said: “I don’t think there are many pubs for people who used to go there, so they should open it up again as something like that, like it was, as an alternative pub, for bands and such.”
One resident who gave her name only as Natalie said: “I think it would be good to see another music venue, something like that, or another entertainment venue.” She said she had never been there when it was a music venue, but that she would “if there was something else there now”.
Andrew Jebb, originally from Sheffield, said: “To be fair, I remember it as a music venue, where you used to go and see some live bands, and I’d quite like it to return to that kind of venue. Because there is nowhere in Sheffield, unless it’s a big venue, that you can actually see live music any more. The O2 Academy has now closed due to a concreting problem.”
He said he remembered seeing a few bands there, although he could not remember who they were, as they were not big names at the time, but were new, up-and-coming bands.
However Andrew Poole, of Stocksbridge, said he would like to see it pulled down, or something done with it.
“It looks like an eyesore at the minute,” he said.
As for what should be done with it if a use could be found, he said: “Make another shop or another sweet shop, or something like that. Make something out of it.”