Rose House Walkley: Plans to re-open popular Sheffield pub this month after major refurbishment

A major refit is now underway at the Rose House, on South Road, Walkley, with its new bosses hoping to have its doors open again by the Spring Bank Holiday at the end of this month.

Workmen moved into the building just over a week ago, and have stripped out the old furnishings and started work to transform the interior as part of a £40,000 investment to transform the venue.

It has been taken over by a pub company run by Sheffielder Mick Brierley, and will be the fourth venue that he operates in Sheffield and South Yorkshire. The other three are the Hogshead in Frecheville, the Rowland Arms, in Aston, and the Queen’s Hotel, in Rawmarsh.

Mick told The Star: “We’re hoping to open on May 24.” He said that was the plan but it was possible that it may be later if work is not completed.

"I’ve been in the trade 50 odd years,” he said. “We are well versed in the pub business, and it is going to be refurbished to a high standard. I’m a Sheffield lad, but I’ve lived in Grimsby for some time now, but we have a few pubs in South Yorkshire, and this will be our fourth in South Yorkshire.

"We have a licensee who will be coming in, Bev, and she will be in before the pub opens to make sure it has everything she needs in before opening. It is a complete refurbishment.”

As well as new seating, fixtures and carpets and decor, the pub will also be showing live sport on the televisions inside the building. Mick hopes to appeal to both older generations and younger people, and said there were plans for quiz nights and theme nights.

But he said it would be a ‘wet pub’ – one that sells drinks but does not do meals.

The pub closed earlier this year, months after it had been attacked by vandals who smashed several of its windows last summer. The pub had remained boarded for several months, and was still boarded up in February. It continued to trade initially, despite the boards which had replaced the windows.