“Micropubs are the new village pub - we bring together Sheffield’s communities with real ale and good chat”

There has been an undeniable trend in miniature pubs cropping up across the city as more people seek out intimate drinking experiences with real ale from independent producers.

For Mac McGrath, opening the Wonky Labrador in Nether Green has seen him find the fulfilling role he had longed for. The 39-year-old, who lives in Nether Edge, opened the Oakbrook Road micropub in March 2023 following an 18-year career in corporate hospitality.

After so many years in the corporate world, Mac found that he had lost his ‘groove’. But when he saw the former Rafters Neighbourhood Bar up for sale, he knew he had to view it.

“I just got the itch straight away,” Mac said. “I made my mind up pretty much after the first first viewing, but I viewed it a couple of more times just for assurances. Then I took the keys in January [2023].”

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The 26-seat micropub is now part of the flourishing food and drink community in Nether Green, including Rafters, Borgo, La Coppola Deli, and Lovely Pear.

As well as serving a range of drinks to suit all preferences, Mac also strives to make the pub the centre of the community. He also hosts a monthly ‘mental health evening’, along with activities ranging from drawing, crafts and Lego building, to wine tasting and meet the brewer events.

“We've slowly evolved and we’re still evolving,” Mac said. “We're a point of difference for a lot of people.

“I'm from a background where the village pub was what it was about; it's a big old building, and you go in and you join the people you see.

“It's that same sense of community that draws people in here, because it's small, it's intimate, and I think that's what people thrive on.

“It's when the tables engage with each other, and you're there as a master of ceremonies of sorts, linking everybody up and just keeping the conversation flowing. I get a big kick out of that.

“That's the brilliant thing about making people feel welcome.”

Mac believes the rise in micropubs in the city has only strengthened this feeling of community across the city - with other owners and managers also coming together to support each other.

He said: “What I found with Sheffield is how supportive everybody is. There is no such thing as competition, other places are just another option.

“Everybody is happy to talk, and happy to contribute what works for them. We're not all the same, and that's the great thing. We all have a point of difference, and we’re all happy to help each other.”

Sheffield has dozens of micropubs, including The Beer House on Ecclesall Road, which is believed to have been the first in the city. Its success since opening in 2014 saw it open a second venue in Hillsborough last year.

Nowadays, many of Sheffield’s neighbourhoods have at least one micropub, including the city centre, Fulwood, Woodseats, Kelham Island, Broomhill, Crookes, Totley, Woodhouse, and Mosborough.

The Wonky Labrador, 212 Oakbrook Road, is open 3pm to 10pm Tuesday to Thursday, and 12noon to 11pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12noon to 9.30pm on Sunday. For more information, please visit: https://www.thewonkylabrador.co.uk/

September is The Star’s Food & Drink Month, which has seen us celebrate all things food and drink, as well as champion the hospitality industry in Sheffield.