But it’s fair to say that some of the city’s boozers in days gone by had a less savoury reputation.
There’s a lot of debate about which pubs in Sheffield were the city’s roughest, where only the hardiest souls would dare to show their faces.
For every pub which people recall being particularly rough back in the day, there are always people who were once regulars there and will say its reputation was undeserved.
We’ve put together a list of some of Sheffield ‘roughest’ pubs, based on our readers’ suggestions, but we’re included the memories of those who have leapt to the defence of those establishments and recalled happy days spent drinking there.
At one of the pubs on our list, the landlord reportedly resorted to hiding upstairs when fighting broke out below, while others were supposedly frequented by shoplifters who would sell their wares to fellow punters.
But for each story about violence and criminality, there are those who remember a ‘buzzing’ place full of ‘genuine folk’, or, as one person put it, a ‘proper pub’.
Is your old local on our list, and do you think it deserves to be there, or is there another pub you think should be included in our rundown of Sheffield’s roughest pubs from years gone by?
5. The Cannon
The Cannon pub, on Castle Street, Sheffield city centre, is pictured here in November 1990. It closed more than a decade ago after being branded a 'den of iniquity' and has since been converted into flats. However, a number of people leapt to its defence, with one writing: "The upstairs bar in The Cannon was a bit lively in the early 80s. Great bar staff though and a decent club downstairs. We loved it.” Sandra Fox, meanwhile, commented: "Cannon was great. Did good food as well as the discos." And Ken Jackson recalled: "My dad was the landlord at the Cannon in the 60s. I loved the place. (There were) some rough customers but many were rough diamonds. Great people who were generous to a fault when I got married in 1966." | Picture Sheffield Photo: Picture Sheffield
6. Albion Tavern
The Albion Tavern, on Verdon Street, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, in June 1965. Mary Leach suggested it should have been included in the list of the roughest pubs from years gone by. | Picture Sheffield Photo: Picture Sheffield
7. The Parkway
The Parkway pub at Sheffield's Park Hill flats is pictured in June 1985. Dean Keith said: "The Parkway was in a programme called Britain's roughest pubs.... total rubbish, it wasn't even the roughest pub on Park Hill. My friend Richard used to run it and it was a bit tatty around the edges but not a place to be feared at all." | Picture Sheffield Photo: Picture Sheffield
8. The Penguin
The Penguin pub, on Mason Lathe Road, Shiregreen, Sheffield, in 2002. Michelle Booker suggested it as one of Sheffield's roughest pubs from yesteryear. | Sheffield Newspapers Ltd Photo: Sheffield Newspapers