John O’Gaunt Gleadless: Community centre call for landmark Sheffield estate pub
A Sheffield man wants to transform a closed-down pub into a community centre for his estate.
John Stevenson, aged 63, wants to turn the old run-down pub in Gleadless Valley - John ‘O’ Gaunt - into a safe space for children to hang out and for everyone to use.
John, who runs the local food bank and hosts small community classes and parent groups, explained that he simply doesn’t have the room currently.
“It was great when the church across the road there was open because there was so much space to do things, but since that closed down, we have had to move over here and we lack the space at the foodbank,” he said.
The John ‘O’ Gaunt pub closed down in 2022, with the building now in the hands of Sheffield Council, John is worried that the longer the building is unattended, the longer it will continue to rot and be subject to vandalism.
He said: “I have told the council that I would like to turn the old pub into a community centre, and they have just ignored my request. I wouldn’t want any money to renovate it. I would raise that myself, I just feel this community is crying out for a space they can go to and call their own.”
John has become an integral part of the Gleadless community since moving to Sheffield in 2011 and has also been awarded a ‘volunteer of the year award’ from 10 Downing Street.
He now feels Sheffield Council has forgotten the Gleadless community and has expressed his concern that the area is in desperate need of investment, and that could all start with one building.
Councillor Douglas Johnson, chairman of the Housing Committee at Sheffield Council, said he understands the Gleadless community interest in turning the building back into a community centre but said there had been a recent arson attack there.
He said: “I would support a refurbishment of a building rather than demolition; but the building would require a lot of investment to bring back into use.
“The regeneration team are working alongside other council colleagues to develop options for the Gaunt Road area.
“No decisions have been made as of yet, but we will be continuously keeping the Gleadless community up to date with any developments as discussions continue.”
He added Gleadless Valley residents would be notified of any plans, once they had been decided.