Public Sheffield: Manager of city's quirkiest pub reflects on how former toilet block keeps winning awards

It was recently announced that Public - a popular city centre bar run out of a converted public toilet - had been shortlisted among three other South Yorkshire venues in the Nation Pub and Bar Awards.

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In total, 256 pubs and bars have been shortlisted across the British Isles, and for the first time ever they will not only be competing for the top national and regional spots, but also for a county title.

There will be 94 sites crowned for their respective categories, with judges looking at a number of elements including the customer journey, including marketing, digital presence, design, service, style of offer and investment.

Now Public’s manager, Dani Hill, has shared her feelings about the bar’s continued success following its opening in 2017.

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She told The Star: “It’s an incredible feeling - surreal, really.

“Being recognised on a national level is a huge honour and a testament to the hard work, creativity and care the whole team puts in day after day.

“We’ve always aimed to create something special at Public, and moments like this remind us why we do what we do.”

In only eight short years the team have managed to convert this disused space into one of Sheffield’s quirkiest bars, earning numerous accolades including Observer’s Best Place to Drink in the UK, Class Awards, Exposed Awards Best New Bar in 2018 and Best Bar in 2019 as well as being in the Top 50 UK cocktails bars list, which is curated by Franklin and Sons LTD, every year since 2021.

“We’ve definitely achieved more than we could’ve imagined when we first opened,” Dani added.

“That said, part of the joy of running a place like Public is that it’s always evolving - there’s always something new to create, explore or improve.

“So while we’re proud of how far we’ve come, we’re even more excited about what’s still to come.

“Keep an eye out for our event bar that is launching soon, as we’re taking Public on the go for special events.”

And what’s the secret to such success? Well Dani claims it’s a mixture of plenty of things.

“We think it’s the atmosphere, the attention to detail, and the feeling that you’ve discovered something a little hidden and special,” she said.

“From the drinks to the music to the space itself, everything’s crafted to feel thoughtful but never pretentious.

“People come to Public for quality, but they stay for the experience - and hopefully, the good times they associate with it.”

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