Inside the Kelham Island venue with a Sheffield mural and mission to champion the city
Inside the Kelham venue with a mural celebrating Sheffield – and a mission to give back to the city.
A new hospitality venue in Kelham Island is putting Sheffield pride front and centre – with a striking mural celebrating the city and a mission to help local people build careers in hospitality.
Merchants House, which opened in January inside the historic Merchants Court complex, has quickly become one of the venues most dedicated to championing Sheffield’s identity.
Inside, a large mural created by Sheffield artist Paul Staveley stretches across one of the venue’s walls, showcasing some of the city’s most recognisable icons.
Among them are Henderson’s Relish, the Park Hill flats, the Crucible Theatre and rock legends Def Leppard – a colourful tribute to Sheffield’s culture and heritage.
But the venue’s ambition goes beyond aesthetics.
The team behind Merchants House say they want the project to give something back to the city through community programmes and opportunities for people who might not otherwise enter the hospitality industry.
Chef Chris Hanson, who runs the kitchen and events space, said the venue is working with organisations to create training schemes for unemployed people interested in hospitality.
“We’re trying to build something that gives back to the city,” he said.
“We’re looking at training programmes for people who might never have considered hospitality before, helping them build skills and potentially start their own businesses.
“It’s not about the ego of a chef – it’s about creating something that builds up Sheffield.”
Chris has brought his Dinner Club business to Merchants House after spending the past two years running pop-up events, weddings and corporate catering.
The kitchen focuses on accessible street-food favourites such as pizza, kebabs and burgers, but made with high-quality locally sourced ingredients.
“The food is good quality but accessible,” he said.
“It’s street food done properly using really good local meats, fruit and vegetables.”
Chris added: “We also have an amazing range of beers and wine, as well as a cocktail menu we’re developing. We are also training those on our programme to have these mixology skills.”
Merchants House sits within Merchants Court, a 19th-century industrial site that once formed part of the William Turners and Sons of Caledonia Steel and File Works.
The courtyard has been owned by Scott Martin and his business partner Lee Dallinson for around 20 years, previously housing workshops and a busy car repair business.
As Kelham Island grew into one of Sheffield’s most popular food and drink areas, the pair began exploring ways to bring something new to the space.
“We’ve owned the building for about 20 years and it’s always been a busy little courtyard,” Scott said.
“As Kelham became more gentrified, we wanted to start offering something a bit different.”
The first venue to launch at Merchants Court was Pad 12, a cocktail and wine bar.
Merchants House followed in January as a larger bar, kitchen and events venue overlooking the courtyard.
With space for up to 500 people, the venue is designed to host everything from weddings and corporate events to summer barbecues and live music nights.
Alongside regular dining, the team is planning a number of ticketed events throughout the year, including summer barbecues with live music and seasonal themed gatherings.
Upcoming events include a Mother’s Day Sunday lunch and a “Puppy Love” themed event, while the courtyard will also host markets showcasing local food producers, artists and makers.
Previous traders at the market have included local favourites such as Forge Bakehouse, Abbeydale Brewery, The Matcha Spot and Quality Ferments, alongside a range of independent artists and craft businesses.
Looking ahead, Scott says the wider Merchants Court site will continue to develop in phases.
Future plans include creating a food court with independent vendors and potentially adding small retail units such as jewellery stalls and a grocery shop for local residents.
The long-term ambition, he said, is to turn the historic courtyard into a hub for independent hospitality and creative businesses.
“Our aim is to build something that becomes a hub for really cool hospitality businesses,” he said.
“Ultimately we want it to be somewhere that people come to spend time, enjoy good food and drinks, and celebrate Sheffield.”
For now, the team hopes Merchants House can become a place where people come together – whether for food, events or simply to celebrate Sheffield.
“We hope people enjoy the space, it’s about good food, good drinks and creating something positive for the city,” Chris said.