New restaurant opening in Crosspool this weekend

Italian restaurant La Dolce Vita is opening in the old A'Villa Caruso premisis
Italian restaurant La Dolce Vita is opening in the old A'Villa Caruso premises on Sandygate Road

Crosspool’s new Italian restaurant is celebrating its arrival on Friday night (1 July) with a free food buffet.

La Dolce Vita is opening in the old A’Villa Caruso unit on Sandygate Road.

Friday’s event runs from 5-9pm and includes tasters of their Tuscan-style recipes and a glass of Italian wine.

The restaurant opens properly on Saturday 2 July. Bookings are being taken on 0114 266 9811.

Optician to open in Crosspool

Alex Gage family optometrist (optician), who presently have practices in Broomhill and Woodseats, are planning on opening a new practice in Crosspool.

It will be located in the shop unit previously occupied by Wine Rack/Threshers on Sandygate Road. The opening is scheduled for September.

The shop has been vacant since 2009 when Wine Rack closed.

Sandygate Road empty off licence unit
An optician is to open in the empty off licence unit at 48 Sandygate Road

Hanging baskets and planters installed in precinct

If you’ve passed Crosspool shops on Sandygate Road recently then you will have seen that new hanging baskets and planters have been installed around the precinct.

The new additions will support our Sheffield in Bloom competition entry for 2011.

A planter in Crosspool precinct
A planter in Crosspool precinct
Hanging baskets in Crosspool precinct
Hanging baskets in Crosspool precinct
Planters opposite Artisan restaurant in Crosspool precinct
Planters opposite Artisan restaurant in Crosspool precinct

Crosspool Characters: magician Dan Ellis

Crosspool magician Dan Ellis
Crosspool magician Dan Ellis

In the latest in this series of occasional interviews with local residents, we meet local magician Dan Ellis.

How long have you lived in Crosspool and what do you like about it?

I’ve lived in Crosspool for my whole life which is 18 years. It close to everything that I need. School was only a five minute walk, grab a bit of lunch from the shops and its only 15 minutes on the bus away from the city centre.

How did you get into being a magician? Are you in the Magic Circle?

I get asked this a lot and my honest answer is I have no idea how I got into it. My granddad was a magician but he died when I was young and I don’t really remember him. I think most boys get a magic set for Christmas when their little and most of them grow out of it. I guess I didn’t! I am a member of the Sheffield Magic Circle.

What does this involve doing day to day?

Being a magician isn’t as glamorous as it might sound. Day to day I just meet people, make phone calls, send emails and letters to get myself more gigs. When I do perform I do mainly close-up magic which is the sort of stuff you might see the likes of David Blaine doing on TV. I do magic right under people’s noses so there are no boxes or glamorous assistants to hide behind; it’s just me having fun with my audience.

Has being an magician given you the opportunity to tour and travel?

I’ve done shows up and down the country but a majority of my work is local. It is yet to take me abroad but hopefully it won’t be too long. Magic is the sort that thing that come across well in any language so I hope it can take me all over the world in the future.

Crosspool magician Dan Ellis
Crosspool magician Dan Ellis

What sort of performances to do do for events, parties or corporate dos? If people are interested in booking you, how can they get in touch?

Like I said I’m mainly a close-up magician meaning I do magic for small groups of people at parties, weddings and corporate events. I mix and mingle with guests and perform magic right under their noses.

Magic is a great ice breaker which is why I think corporate events and weddings are very good venues for it. Often there are groups of people who have never met before and my magic creates a talking point for people. It also helps create a great atmosphere which fits in with parties and weddings really well.

If people are interested in booking me they can check out my website which is www.citymagicians.com or give me a call on 07976 300898 and I’d be happy to chat even its just about what its like to be a magician.

If you could do one thing to make Crosspool better, what would it be?

I can’t really think if anything I would change in Crosspool apart from maybe having a magic shop here but that would probably put me out of a job if everyone could do it! I think that things like the Crosspool Festival and the summer fare are really great things for the community and I think that Crosspool should have more of these things.

Look out for Dan at this year’s Crosspool Festival.

City Magicians

Crosspool characters: Judith Hanson

Download the Summer 2011 Crosspool Clarion now

The new edition of the Crosspool Clarion is going to press and will soon be falling on the doormats of all Crosspool households.

Crosspool Clarion Summer 2011
Download Crosspool Clarion Summer 2011 (PDF, 1.5MB)

The latest issue includes:

  • HGV Sat Navs
  • New local Councillor
  • Tapton Academy
  • Pupil wins award
  • Lydgate Lane closure
  • Centenary Walk
  • Spring Clean
  • Hallam FC anniversary match
  • Mobile Library Service Cut
  • Royal Wedding Street Parties in Crosspool
  • Computer Course
  • Neighbourhood Watch
  • Open Meeting Minutes

Download Crosspool Clarion Summer 2011 (PDF, 1.5MB)

Some back issues of past editions of the Crosspool Clarion are also available to download.

The Crosspool Clarion is the official newsletter of Crospool Forum. It is a free, quarterly publication, with over 2,500 copies delivered to local households.

If you are a local business then you may wish to consider advertising in the Clarion. It is a great way to reach over local households. Contact Clarion editor Ian Hague for more information.

To read PDFs on your computer, you may need to first download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

A’Villa Caruso restaurant closes

A’Villa Caruso Italian restaurant in Crosspool has closed. A sign in the window of the Sandygate Road pizzaria states it will reopen under new management soon.

In the meantime, paper has been put up to cover the windows.

A'Villa Caruso restaurant: to reopen under new management?
A'Villa Caruso restaurant: to reopen under new management?

Crosspool Tavern breakfast deal

Crosspool Tavern breakfast
Crosspool Tavern breakfast

As well as the ever-popular carvery, Crosspool Tavern is now offering a breakfast deal.

For £2.99, you get a sausage, two rashers of bacon and then can help yourself to hash browns, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans plus fried and scrambled eggs. There is also a vegetarian option with Quorn sausages. Tea, coffee and toast is extra.

Breakfast is available from 8-11am Monday to Saturday and 9-11am on Sundays.

Crosspool Tavern breakfast menu (PDF, 1.3MB)

Crosspool schools in ice cream van row

The council’s licensing board meets today to discuss concerns from Tapton and King Edward VII lower school teachers regarding the safety of pupils as they are drawn onto Darwin Lane at busy times in order to buy from the ice cream van.

In January, a boy was hit crossing the road to reach the van. Ice cream man Chris Turner has been trading on the site since May 1971.

Sheffield Star: Schools in ice cream van row

Police attend the scene of the accident on Darwin Lane
A boy was hit crossing the road to reach the ice cream van in January

Convenience store planning application appeal dismissed

The Planning Inspectorate today published its decision regarding the Lydgate Lane convenience store planning application and has concluded that the appeal is to be dismissed.

The appeal decision document (PDF, 98KB) gives the full reasoning for its dismissal, citing the main issue as highway safety being compromised by the proposed development. Alison Lea, the Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, concludes:

“…the lack of adequate off street parking and servicing provision would be likely to lead to conditions which would be prejudicial to highway safety and that this would be contrary to Policy S10 of the Sheffield Unitary Development Plan which provides that in Shopping Areas new development will be permitted provided that, amongst other matters, it would provide safe access to the highway network and appropriate off-street parking and not endanger pedestrians.”

Download the appeal decision document (PDF, 98KB)

The original planning application was made last August. Following the planning officer’s recommendation for refusal, it was rejected by the Council. An appeal by the applicant followed and today is was announced that this has been dismissed. A more detailed summary of events can be found here.

Motor World, Lydgate Lane, Crosspool
The convenience store planning application appeal for the premises currently occupied by Motor World on Lydgate Lane has been dismissed