After-work drinks? Our beer garden guide to Sheffield city centre

Written by Ali, a co-worker at Union St.

Sheffield may be blessed with green space and great pubs, but finding this perfect union in our city centre is a trickier affair. Worry not. Union St co-workers have years of experience in summertime drinking. They’ve put in the hard yards to bring you this after-work suntrap guide, with recommendations for every kind of outdoor drinker.

A note on the methodology: we’re using the ring-road to draw the city centre boundaries, and ‘garden’ is optimistically defined as ‘any sort of outside space with seating’.

Read to the end for: results of the official Union St poll on Sheffield's best beer garden.

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Booze with views: the best scenic spots in the city

Buzzy modern spots, with cocktails and spritzes, to watch our bit of the world go by.

1. Forum

Image credit: Forum

With its tiled mosaic seating and deckchairs, Forum feels like sitting poolside when the sun comes out. The garden looks over Dev Green, with skaters, students and sunbathers all making use of the city centre’s biggest park.

You’ll like it if: being able to see grass is essential to your idea of a beer garden.

In the sunshine at 5pm? Yes – full sun!

2. Cambridge St. Collective’s rooftop bar

Underrated despite – or maybe because of – its attachment to the food hall. Accessing it requires an odd combination of steps, lifts and Japanese whisky bars. But it’s worth the effort. Honourable mention to Kapital’s sunny garden here too, just next door.

You’ll like it if: you’re after more than crisps to pair with your drink.

In the sunshine at 5pm? Partially.

3. Pearl at Park Hill

Image credit: Pearl at Park Hill / India Hobson

Okay, so it’s not within the ring road, but we make the rules here and it’s just a two minute walk from the station. Besides, as Union St co-worker Nick says, it “really is a great outdoor drinking space” with easily the best views of the skyline from its sprawling terrace. An award-winning cocktail list too.

You’ll like it if: you used to live in London.

In the sunshine at 5pm? Yes – full sun!

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Proper pubs with proper picnic tables

And real ale, for real drinkers. These gardens shoulder the hardy, cigarette-smoking men and women of our city through the cruel winter months. Sunshine is a mere bonus.

4. The Rutland Arms

A shaded little courtyard attached to what is perhaps the city’s most celebrated boozer. Feels like a pub frozen in time, and that’s no bad thing at all. The food is a notch above too – don’t miss the Rutty Butty. “Nice and shady in the heat”, as Union St member Bella puts it.

You’ll like it if: you think no pub built post-1930 is worth your time.

In the sunshine at 5pm? No.

5. Shakespeare’s

Image credit: Our Favourite Places

A truly glorious high-walled garden, with a hodge-podge selection of seating and potted plants. A little further from the true centre of town, but can easily be combined with some excellent Kelham Island beer gardens too.

You’ll like it if: Cobbled courtyards are your manna from heaven.

In the sunshine at 5pm? Partially.

6. The Grapes

It’s a car park. With a few old picnic tables in it. But it’s a car park attached to one of the best pubs in the city, on one corner of the Irish triangle pub crawl, alongside Fagan’s and The Dog and Partridge. Cash-only, come prepared.

You’ll like it if: you like saying ‘cash is king’.

In the sunshine at 5pm? Yes!

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Offbeat, industrial yards with craft beer

Did you know Sheffield has more breweries per head than any other UK city? Here’s where to head in the centre for some post-industrial chic.

7. Triple Point Brewery

Image credit: Welcome to Sheffield

Brewery and taproom specialising in gluten-free beers, and vegan beers too – though they’re happy to indulge carnivores too by serving up excellent smash burgers.

Co-worker Ryan says: “nice green space, heat lamps for when it’s a little chillier and has gradually built up over time.” Continue into the night at Sidney and Matilda, just around the corner.

You’ll like it if: you wouldn’t dream of ordering a Madri.

In the sunshine at 5pm? Partially.

8. Perch Brewhouse

Located on the promisingly named Garden Street, Perch is the tap room of Dead Parrot brewery. There’s a pleasant courtyard, with shaded and suntrap seating – and the occasional BBQ. Ideally located near Fagan’s, The Three Tuns and Butler’s curry house.

You’ll like it if: you’re on a pre-curry pub crawl.

In the sunshine at 5pm? Partially.

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So what’s the very best beer garden in Sheffield?

The Union St drinkers put it to a poll, and the winner was Shakespeare’s thanks to its brilliant courtyard. The Rutland Arms and Triple Point both came a close second.

Still thirsty for more? Our friends at The Tribune have their own best beer gardens list.

Union Street co-workers often head for a pint – and sometimes a fair few more – after work, and everyone is invited. If you’re tired of working from home alone, why not book a call with Matt to find out more about co-working with us?

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How to prioritise your work? Insights from Sheffield's co-workers

Working remotely or for yourself? Then you'll know that employers and clients value punctuality almost as highly as that core skill you were hired for. So if you can't prioritise properly, your stress levels grow and your reputation shrinks.

To borrow a phrase – the apps don't work, they just make you worse. If the likes of Trello and Monday.com have left you feeling even more overwhelmed, don't despair.

Every week at Union St, our co-working members can sit down together on a Wednesday lunchtime for Have I Got Views for You, an open group discussion on a chosen theme about the day-to-day realities of freelance and remote work.

So here are some proven alternatives for work prioritising, sourced direct from the Union St hive-mind, based on our collective experiences.

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1. The MoSCoW method: Must, Should, Could, Won’t

The problem with using one list to label your tasks as high, medium and low is that, inevitably, everything ends up on the high list and you're back at square one.

So Ben, a website designer at Union St., breaks this cycle by splitting his day into clear behavioural categories:

• Must – the "non-negotiable, needs to be done today" tasks

• Should – the "if things go as planned today" tasks

• Could – those jobs you might get round to today.

• Won't – tasks you can't do today, or simply won’t get to in time.

As Ben says, "Instead of it being high, medium, low, I’m already engaging in the decision of how I’m going to approach my tasks [instead of just feeling stuck]. But keep the list to a maximum of 10, or you’ll get dispirited."

2. Calendar chunking: think time, not tasks

Many Union St members suggested getting rid of the to-do list entirely, and working from your calendar instead.

By chopping your working day into bite-sized chunks of time, with a task assigned to each slot, you can concentrate on – enjoy, even – one thing at a time, without fear of the looming to-do list.

Some freelancers are guilty of overworking and neglecting their personal lives. But Union St member Selina says "Don't ever schedule more than five hours of work a day, as you can't physically concentrate for that long."

By treating your personal life with the same respect as a client project, with blocks for exercise or hobbies, you’re more likely to find the fabled work-life balance – and feel less guilty about 'skipping' work. You may even find you’re more productive during hours you do work.

3. Setting caps and building boundaries

Good prioritisation involves you managing other people's expectations too. Many Union St members have said they're guilty of prioritising the loudest voice in their inbox over their quieter, less demanding clients.

To help combat this, the group had two main tactics. One is just a small shift, the other may require a more fundamental reassessment:

• Check your emails at midday, not in the morning. You wake up full of good intentions to tick your 'must-do' tasks off, only to be derailed by an unexpected email – good or bad. But by waiting until lunchtime to check your emails, you'll make sure you're proactive with your goals, instead of reactive to other people's demands.

• Learn the power of the word 'no'. Remember, your work is just one element of a fulfilled life. At times, building your career may rightly be your biggest priority. But at others, it may be family, community or your hobbies. If you're facing burnout, or struggling to get work done, consider taking a step away. You may return with fresh energy and enthusiasm.

So what's the takeaway? There are lots of ways to think about work scheduling and prioritisation, but you don't need to figure it out alone. By stepping out of your home office, and joining a community of people facing similar challenges to yourself, you may find new ideas and new energy.

Dare we say it, perhaps it should be a new priority.

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Every Wednesday lunchtime at Union St, our co-working community of freelancers, small business owners and remote workers informally discuss a different topic in Have I Got Views For You. Book a call with Matt to find out more about co-working at Union St.

Book a call with Matt