Old Queens Head: Sheffield’s oldest pub to welcome new landlords as Old Queen’s Head boss steps down
One of Sheffield’s most historic pubs is set for a change of management, as the current landlord prepares to step down after just over a year at the helm.
The team behind the The Old Queen’s Head on Pond Hill have confirmed that landlord Stuart Crocker will be leaving the role after 14 months due to personal circumstances.
However, the much-loved figure in the venue says he will remain involved with the pub he has grown to love.
Stuart said: “It’s not a decision I wanted to make, but there are some personal things going on behind the scenes that mean I have to step back from the day-to-day running.
“I love this place so much, so I’ll still be involved in some way. It’s such an important part of Sheffield and I want to see it continue to thrive.”
The historic venue will remain under the same ownership, with a Sheffield couple set to take over the running of the pub.
The pair have already been working with the business and are returning home after working at a hotel in Scarborough.
Stuart said the incoming team already understands the unique character of the venue and the role it plays in the city.
“They’re Sheffield people and they wanted to come home,” he said.
“They’ve been involved with the business for a while already and they really appreciate what makes this place special.”
Believed to date back to around 1475, the timber-framed building is widely regarded as Sheffield’s oldest surviving residential building and one of the city centre’s most recognisable historic landmarks.
The structure was first recorded in a 1582 inventory of the estate of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, when it was known as “The hawle at the Poandes”.
Historians believe it may originally have served as a banqueting hall for hunting parties from Sheffield Castle, where visitors would gather after hunting wildfowl in nearby ponds.
Today, the Grade II-listed building stands almost defiantly among modern developments, its warped timber frame and sandstone floors offering a glimpse into a much earlier chapter of the city’s story.
During his time as landlord, Stuart has leaned heavily into the venue’s heritage, including its reputation as one of Sheffield’s most haunted pubs.
He has hosted ghost tours and historical events exploring stories linked to the building – from alleged hidden tunnels beneath the pub to sightings of a Civil War soldier near the fireplace.
“Everyone knows Sheffield as the Steel City, but there was something here long before the steel industry arrived, and this building is part of that story.
“It’s amazing to think about everything this place has seen over nearly 550 years,” he said.
Despite the management change, he believes the future of the pub remains bright.
“There’s nowhere else like it,” he said.
“People come in because of the history, but they stay because it’s still a proper pub.”
With new management preparing to take over, the aim is to protect that character while ensuring the historic venue continues to serve Sheffield for many years to come.