'It's awful, isn't it' - Residents react to shock closure of Graze Inn and The Eagle on Sheffield's Ecclesall Road

The Eagle and Graze Inn, at the heart of Sheffield’s trendy Ecclesall Road, have both announced that they will be closing.

The businesses, which stand side-by-side, have both taken to social media to thank customers and express their emotions due to their closure.

The Graze Inn, which shut on August 22, posted: “10 years of Graze have flown by, what a blast, and what a place it has been!

"Beers, cocktails, music, flatbreads, big Sunday roasts, boozy brunches, and our famous rotisserie chicken - always in demand. Precious memories and precious people!

“We’re very much going to miss our residence on Ecclesall Road - the team has special memories of the venue stretching back decades however, you will now find Sarah and some of the team up at our sister venue, The Cricket Inn, Totley.”

The Eagle will be serving for the last time on Saturday, and they said: “We have loved serving you pints of Thornbridge, hosting our epic pub quiz, and flinging out our flatbreads, and have fantastic memories of this venue stretching right back to the early days of Champs.”

The Eagle is run by Thornbridge Brewery, based within the grounds of Thornbridge Hall in Ashford-in-the-Water near Bakewell in Derbyshire and the company runs several other well-known pubs in Sheffield.

Local resident, Maureen Carr, has expressed her sadness at the closures and says she is concerned at the amount of businesses closing recently.

"Graze Inn is really good for food and so I am really surprised. I am really surprised as it is so nice for food in there – I don’t know what it is like for night drinking and everything which is the norm for Ecclesall Road but it is a really nice place for food.

"It is awful, isn’t it (to see businesses close). It just leaves a gap in the high street doesn’t it, and sadly the pandemic didn’t do it any good.

"People got used ordering online, because they had to, and so what happens is that people find different alternatives. Obviously the thing is now people are thinking about the cost-of-living so maybe they’re not coming out to have meals and socialise the same way as before.

"It is really sad,” Maureen added.

Another resident, Hasel Laele, says that competition is leading to more closures, and whilst this is sad, new businesses will always come back.

"There’s a lot of competition, when it is expensive people tend to go to the cheapest one – it was quite expensive here, at least it used to be, and there’s just too much competition.

"It is sad, but then we get new ones coming along, the news makes a lot about it (business closures) but I think it is relatively calm compared to some countries.”

Another resident said it is ‘really sad’ to see the two businesses close down, adding that the situation is getting worse.