Nestled deep in the heart of the Neepsend/Kelham Island corner of Sheffield exists a thriving space. Alder is a multi-faceted location. It’s a pub, or should that be ‘hub’, that encompasses chilled vibes, great beer, live events and an undeniable community spirit.

If I were to say Alder is quickly becoming one of my favourite haunts in Sheffield, I’d be understating it a bit. It’s not just a solid selection of great beers but also delivers an effortlessly relaxed vibe you feel as soon as you walk in.

Both Joe Spriggs and Danny Tennant have connections to the hospitality industry. Joe previously worked for Sheffield Brewery, and Danny had worked at the Frog & Parrot .

“Me and Dan took it on about four years ago”, says Joe, “In October it’s our fifth year.”

“It was the Sheffield brewery before, and we just opened it up with absolutely no idea,” He adds.

“It’s been a wild ride to be honest”, adds Danny. “Lots and lots of highs, some lows, but mainly highs”.

Danny continues, giving us an insight into how the Alder came to being from its original roots as a Victorian polish factory, stables, a car repair shop, a builder’s yard and previously Sheffield Brewery.

“The venue has evolved since we opened in 2021. At first, we focussed primarily on beer, cask ales and a few sandwiches. Since then, it’s evolved into a fully-fledged live-music venue,” he explains.

“We have a really diverse calendar. We do a lot of jazz music at the minute, as that’s where a lot of the trends are going.”

Alder is the central hub and birthplace for the very first Kelham Jazz Festival, which took place on March 21, 2026, across nine venues throughout Kelham Island and Neepsend. The festival was a celebration of Sheffield's musical history and “all about discovering jazz in unexpected places”.

Hopefully this event will return more regularly, but Alder is home to more than just jazz.

“We have a lot of punk music, a lot of blues music too.”

When I went into The Alder to see Danny and Joe, work was ongoing in the venue to get it ready for a dub night taking place that evening.

Eclectic is definitely a term you’d use when referring to this diverse haven in Neepsend.

“We do weddings, birthdays and stuff like that as well. It’s quite a diverse location,” continues Danny.

It’s a cool place, one that seems to be providing almost something for every taste and mood.

Alder also does a monthly brewery showcase, the bar manager Ethan runs this. Every month he selects a different brewery to highlight, taking place on the third Wednesday of each month. In March they had Abbeydale Brewery’s wares showcased, and previously they had the Manchester brewery Courier on tap.

“Every Wednesday, we host a quiz that is free to play. We have a massive range of prizes that change each week.”

Community is key in every element of Alder, something that Danny expands on in relation to the quiz.

“We often collaborate with local businesses. For example, we did a local coffee roaster, we did B'Reyt Dough, a pizza place around the corner. We’ve worked with Neepsend Social, we’ve done local artists and stuff like that.”

“If we can’t work with anyone for prizes, we’ll go whacky and buy something random. That’s really popular.”

You’d think that was it though, but no. Alder also hosts a monthly film night. Joe shared a little bit about this.

“We do Kelham Film Club. It’s a monthly film showing, it’s a community cinema and takes place in the side room. The last film was Thelma & Louise”

Danny adds, “We also run as part of that, Secret Cinema. So, you can come along, it's absolutely free… and you won’t know what to expect.”

What can people expect at Alder, I ask. Joe smiles and answers:

“A warm welcome, community feel, a bit of DIY, and good beer.”

“And… friendly staff.”

With the doors open to all, a great selection of beers and ales on tap, plus some great spirits too, Alder is a fantastic place to hang-out – and so much more.

Alder can be found at: Unit 111, J C Albyn Complex, Percy St, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8BT

Follow Alder on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alder_bar_sheff/

For more info on Kelham Island Film Club, go to: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/kelham-island-film-club-27500055251

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