Artisan retains Michelin Guide accolade for 2012

Artisan restaurant, Crosspool: now on both floors
Artisan restaurant, Crosspool: featured in the 2012 Michelin Guide

Artisan restaurant in Crosspool has retained its Bib Gourmand status in the latest Michelin Guide.

Restaurants are named Bib Gourmands for offering good food at moderate prices. By our calculations, it is now the sixteenth year that Richard Smith’s Crosspool restaurant has been named a Bib Gourmand.

The only other Sheffield restaurant to feature in the guide was The Old Vicarage in Ridgeway, which was awarded one star.

Bib Gourmand restaurants in 2012 Michelin Guide

Have you seen missing moggie Maxi?

Max: went missing around Watt Lane
Max: went missing around Watt Lane

Update 10pm on Friday 7 October: good news, Max has returned home.

A large black and white cat answering to the name or Max of Maxi went missing from the Watt Lane on Saturday 1 October around 6pm. Have you seen him?

He is a solid cat with a white tummy, white stripes on his back legs, white front and back paws, a torn ear, a white bib and central white facial markings.

The owners are asking whether local residents could check garages, basements, greenhouses and sheds in case she is trapped inside. He may have been a constant visitor to your garden.

Any news of Max, dead or alive would be gratefully received. Please contact Jane on 07981 078762.

Have you seen missing moggie Maxi?

Have you seen missing moggie Maxi?

Crosspool cards now on sale in Craft Angels

A limited edition pack of five greetings cards featuring photos of Crosspool in the Spring  has gone on sale in Craft Angels.

You can see below some of the local scenes on view in the set, which include daffodils on Manchester Road, the wonderful blossom on Watt Lane and Spring in the precinct.

Envelopes are included and the cards are blank inside so you can use them for general greetings cards, at Christmas, birthdays or other special occasions.

The cards are available now from Craft Angels on Sandygate Road. A pack costs just £2.50 and any money raised will go towards local community group Crosspool Forum.

Crosspool cards
Get your limited edition Crosspool cards now!

Local councillor publishes update for residents

Cllr Geoff Smith, Crookes

Our local councillor, Geoff Smith, has published a report summarising his first four months in office.

The Labour councillor’s update includes issues of interest to Crosspool residents, such as Tapton school’s transition to academy status.

You can read the report in full at www.crookeslabourparty.co.uk.

Don’t forget that Geoff’s Crosspool surgery takes place between 12.30pm and 2pm on the third Wednesday of the month (except December) in St Columba’s Church on Manchester Road.

He is also happy to see constituents at other times – contact him on 0114 273 5588, 07581 214783 and geoff.smith2@sheffield.gov.uk. You can also follow him on Twitter at @geoffforcrookes.

Lydgate Green clean up this Sunday

Lydgate Green
Lydgate Green

The Friends of Lydgate Green are organising a day to work on the flower beds.

This Sunday 2 October, volunteers will be weeding, moving plants, litter picking and tidying up.

They’re inviting anyone interested in helping to come along from 10am. It’s a family affair, the more the merrier – bring your forks, spades, barrows & buckets!

There are gaps to be filled so any spare perennials for donation are also very welcome.

Lydgate Green is on the Lydgate Lane/Lydgate Hall Crescent junction in Crosspool.

Lydgate Green
Lydgate Green: join in the clear up

The mystery of the Crosspool tunnel

The Crosspool tunnel
Can you solve the mystery of the Crosspool tunnel?

Joe Castle writes:

Digging in his back garden a while ago, the resident of a semi-detached house on the top side of Manchester Road hit a real snag when his spade struck a sizeable stone some three feet below ground level.

Further digging at either side exposed even more stones and, in fact a line of them extending the full width of the garden.

Naturally, very curious, and with some prizing (and fortuitously great care) he was met with an unbelievable sight witnessed by his equally inquisitive 12-year old son who had arrived on the scene. More stones were lifted and there, a yard or so below, several lines of setts were revealed.

Carrying a camera the lad gingerly jumped down into the hole. His, (adult verified) findings were a circular-shaped tunnel, some 20-25 inches in diameter, constructed of irregular shaped pieces of stone and stretching both ways into the darkened distance. There was a covering of silt on the tunnel floor.

A knowledgeable resident told me the tunnel’s two terminals were: at one end The Sportsman and at the other the bottom of Coldwell Lane. Apparently, many residents who had alterations made to their houses (the tunnel passes through the back-gardens of 51 properties) had been made aware of its existence.

Why is it there, anyway? What purpose does or did it serve; any ideas? I’ll put forward my theory in the next issue of the Crosspool Clarion but your views will be very welcome.


Local historian Judith Hanson gave her views:

I have looked at the old maps of Crosspool and nothing is shown on them to indicate what the mystery tunnel can be. However I do know that there was an adit – an opening to a coal mine – just behind The Sportsman. Maybe it could have something to do with that?

There are coal seams all over this area and several of the people who lived in Clough Fields hamlet were miners. There was a Hallam coal field but where exactly it was I have not been able to find out.

An interesting addition to this is that there was a footpath from Manchester Road up to Sandygate Road- approximately where the gennel is on Manchester Rd, coming out at the top of Ringstead Crescent.

And yes, if you are from Sheffield its a gennel and not a ginnel!

What do you think? Do you have any ideas about what it might be?

Wanted: your spring bulb planting ideas

Manchester Road daffodils
Manchester Road daffodils

Each autumn, members of Crosspool Forum and local residents plant spring bulbs in some of our public spaces and verges in order to brighten up the community with flowers in the spring.

We’ve ordered some more bulbs and want your suggestions for places in Crosspool where we could consider planting them. So if you know a bit of land or area that would benefit from a splash of colour then let us know by filling in the form below. We need your ideas by the end of September.

If you’re interested in lending an hour or two of your time to help plant the bulbs in October then look out for details on here.

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Thank you for your response. ✨

Coppice View daffodils
Coppice View daffodils

Surgeries start for local councillor

Cllr Geoff Smith, CrookesOur local councillor Geoff Smith has published details of his monthly surgeries.

His Crosspool surgery takes place between 12.30pm and 2pm on the third Wednesday of the month (except December) in St Columba Church on Manchester Road.

The Labour councillor also runs a Crookes surgery between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, on the fourth Wednesday of the month (except December) in the Gilbert Room, St Thomas Church (opposite Crookes post office), Crookes.

He is also happy to see constituents at other times – contact him on 0114 273 5588, 07581 214783 and
geoff.smith2@sheffield.gov.uk. You can also follow him on Twitter at @geoffforcrookes.

Sheffield in Bloom silver award goes to Crosspool

Crosspool won silver in the Sheffield in Bloom awards
Crosspool won silver in the Sheffield in Bloom awards

For the second year running, the plants in Crosspool precinct have won silver in the Sheffield in Bloom awards.

The prize was presented to Crosspool Forum chairman Ian Hague at the Town Hall last month.

We’ll be aiming for gold in 2012 and also have plans to feature flags and bunting in the precinct as part of the Olympics and the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations.

The silver prize is presented to Crosspool Forum chairman Ian Hague by Lord Mayor Sylvia Dunkley at the Town Hall
The silver prize is presented to Crosspool Forum chairman Ian Hague by Lord Mayor Sylvia Dunkley at the Town Hall
Sheffield in Bloom awards at the Town Hall
Sheffield in Bloom awards at the Town Hall