The Forum Sheffield: First Summer of Love event celebrated to help mark 30 years of popular bar

The Forum Kitchen + Bar in Devonshire Street first opened it’s doors in the city on April 16 1992 as Forum Café Bar, Shops, and Boutiques.

The venue has become a landmark over the last three decades visited by hundreds of revellers every week.

The bar is operated by True North Brew Co. which is famed for making Sheffield Dry Gin – the first gin to be distilled and bottled in Sheffield in over 100 years – alongside other beverages.

The brewery is now celebrating ‘30 Years of Us’ with a collection of events, limited edition produce, and a few surprises along the way.

Dubbed ‘The Summer of Love Tour’ is a five-month long celebration in which nine of True North venues are hosting free outdoor events in their beer gardens.

The first event in the series was held at the Forum on Saturday where drinkers enjoyed performances from DJs. There was also a guest Guinness bar and an impressive hog roast.

Krissie Petfield, marketing manager of True North Brew Co. said: “We are so excited to celebrate an amazing 30 years of True North with at least one event for everyone to come along to, it’s perfect to enjoy with friends or family looking for any excuse to spend a Saturday in the sun together.”

Other events in the pipeline include reggae garden sessions to family fun days on Devonshire Green.

There will also be ‘The Eldon Street Party’ in which the street at the side of the Forum will be closed off and the brewery doors opened so people can enjoy more live music and street food, followed by after parties hosted in the Forum, Common Room and The Old House.

The event will be held on June 2.

Nicky Geraghty, senior marketing executive, explained how the idea for the bar first came about.

She said: “Kane Yeardley (managing director) was good friends with Rob Mitchell (co-founder of Warp Records) at the time and the pair wanted to open a type of Café bar that you would find in Barcelona or Berlin.

“They teamed up with Anne Goodchild (curator of visual art for Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust) to attend court and were granted the first new license in 15 years by Sheffield City Council.”

"The opening kickstarted the emergence of the area now known as The Devonshire Quarter.”

She added: “Without Forum Kitchen + Bar there wouldn’t be True North Brew Co. It’s a cultural icon to Sheffield, without it there would be no Devonshire Green, and there would be no idea of alternative shopping.

“Forum set a standard that others followed and the venue is hugely linked to alternative culture and creativity.”

All the events are free entry, and everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information visit https://www.truenorthbrewco.uk/30years