Star comment: 'A genuine entrepreneur that Sheffield simply must not lose'

A couple of decades later and a good few of those revellers will also be among the 10m people who have given their details to pubs, bars and restaurants under new coronavirus rules.

The link between them is Dan Brookman, who was just 22 when he bought the baths and ran it as a nightspot until 2003.

Today, aged 47, he owns Sheffield software company Airship which is behind the UK’s biggest selling track and trace app.

In that time he has never worked for anyone else, opened and closed several companies, made tons of mistakes and hard decisions and had a lot of fun along the way.

For Dan is that all too rare a thing, a true Sheffield entrepreneur, always looking for a commercial angle and ever ready to put his wits, experience and judgement to the test.

Many things mark him out. For five years he worked on the doors at The Deep End to ensure the right people were let in, door staff were on their best behaviour and trouble was kept to a minimum.

He has launched bars, a record label and a firm which sent bulk texts for club nights including Gatecrasher - until the iPhone killed it overnight.

But each time he’s bounced back, risked failure again and done it anyway.

Sometimes it’s been for the benefit of others. During lockdown, Airship gave away software that helped 1,100 shuttered pubs and restaurants make money by selling meal vouchers.

Then there was a pivotal moment in June when Boris Johnson said pubs could reopen on July 4 - as long as they took customers’ details

Dan came up with a plan and the firm created a track and trace app in just five days. Today it is used by Pret, Costa, Wetherspoons and Subway.

He also mentors other firms and the reaction to a piece in The Star on him this week is testament to his standing in the hospitality and software industries.

Dan says he can see a time when he sells up and puts his energy and money into helping others.

This must be encouraged at all costs. Any city would be glad of his input, Sheffield must make sure he is happy to do it here.