New research has revealed which UK towns and cities are home to the best pub culture, and it’s no surprise that Sheffield's made the cut.
With St Patrick’s Day merely days away at this point and summer also firmly on the horizon, it’s about to be a big time for British pubs and the humble beer garden – but which towns and cities across the UK have the best ‘pub culture’ there is to offer? Where are you guaranteed a top-tier night out or day drinking session?
Well, in a bid to get to the bottom of that, the travel experts over at Big House Experience decided to do some important research.
By analysing thousands of data points across every UK postal town area, researchers created a comprehensive index awarding each location a ‘Pub Culture Score’ out of 100.
Image: The Sheff
And Sheffield secured a coveted place in the top ten.
Coming in at a very respectable number seven, scoring a ‘Pub Culture Score’ of 90.7, which is pretty impressive if you ask us, and is certainly an ode to the wide – and ever-growing – variety of watering holes, both new and historic, that we have dotted all over the city.
Other northern cities claiming a spot in the top 10 include Newcastle at six, and Manchester at four, while out of top 10 is where you’ll find Ripon and Chester, while other major UK cities like London, Glasgow, and Cardiff are all, unsurprisingly, featured too.
The UK’s Top 10 ‘Pub Culture’ Cities
Bristol – 100
Edinburgh – 99.5
Birmingham – 96.9
Manchester – 96.1
Reading – 94.2
Newcastle – 94
Sheffield – 90.7
Glasgow – 89.3
London – 87.5
Chelmsford – 82.3
When it comes to the number one spot though, that title goes to Bristol, as the West Country city scored full marks thanks to offering a total of 1,211 pubs across the entire postal area – which is the equivalent of almost 25 pubs per 10,000 people.
Following closely behind is the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, with a near-perfect score of 99.5, and Birmingham claims third place with a score of 96.9.
Do you agree with this list then? What other cities would you chuck into the mix? You can see the full research here.
Plans have been announced for a new museum dedicated to Sheffield's brewing and pub history.
Now we all love a good pint, especially here in Sheffield, so what if we told you that soon there'll be an entire museum dedicated to the sweet nectar?
The museum will be dedicated to the city's long brewing history but ahead of its opening, Sheffield Beer Museum CIC is launching a public consultation.
They're asking the city's drinkers, brewers, publicans and residents what the museum should be, which stories it should tell, and where it belongs.
In case you didn't know, Sheffield has one of the richest beer heritages in the country, from the Victorian brewing boom through the real ale revival to today's independent scene.
Image: The Sheff
So it's safe to say that we deserve a home for its story.
"There is more to beer than drinking, and Sheffield's thriving independent scene is a proud example of that," said George Brown, director of Sheffield Beer Museum.
"It's why we're asking the city first. Before we decide anything, we want to hear what people here want to see."
The consultation period will run to the end of the year, and it's all kicking off at this year's Steel City Beer & Cider Festival.
The team will be at the Steel City Beer & Cider Festival at Kelham Island Museum from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 24 October 2026, where visitors can meet the team, have their say and find out more.
Crookes in Sheffield has been named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK
Clementine Hall
A Sheffield neighbourhood has been crowned one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK by Time Out Magazine.
Every year we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods make the cut of Time Out's annual list of the world's coolest neighbourhoods.
But, the UK is just so damn cool that they've made us a list of our own.
In their recent guide of '11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK', they set out to decipher the very best places to live in the country that are flourishing with new openings, community spirit and simply oozing 'coolness'.
Images: The Sheff
And a Sheffield neighbourhood made it onto the list - obviously.
Crookes is infact the only Yorkshire neighbourhood to get a shoutout, and to be honest we're hardly surprised.
We love it for its fantastic foodie offering, bustling independent scene and great people - but let's see what Time Out had to say.
Daniel Wray, contributing writer for Time Out said: "Once considered purely a place for students, Crookes has undergone a shift in its development and demographic in recent years, quietly and subtly morphing into a wonderfully self-contained neighbourhood that is now a go-to food and drink hotspot.
"Much like Sheffield, this little suburb is not flashy or fussy – it’s an under-the-radar residential area – but it packs a lot of punch for its size."
Images: The Sheff
He then goes on to describe his perfect day out in Sheffield, highlighting spots like Crumb, Pom, Tanaya Wines and Crookes Social Club.
He finishes by suggesting: "Crookes is excellent year-round, but perhaps try a June visit during Sheffield Wine Week when Bole Hills is home to a buzzy outdoor wine festival."
Daniel, we really couldn't agree more.
You can read the full list of the UK's coolest neighbourhoods here.
Emily Sergeant -
14th March 2026 
