The Dark Horse: Take a tour of new Sheffield pub that has just opened

The Dark Horse, which is named in a nod to its days as a Lloyds TSB bank, is located in Banner Cross.

The site has been completely renovated in a six month project, with the interior decorated in a modern and dark green motif including smart booths, by local businessman Andy Grice.

The bank’s former vault with incredibly thick walls has been laboriously turned into toilets, so customers can spend a penny where thousands of pounds were once kept safe.

Andy said: “We’re looking forward to meeting all our new locals. I think people have been fascinated to see what’s going off.”

"We’re on the high street so its been difficult to miss us, we’ve been working on this for six months now so people have been popping in and asking what we’re doing.

" I think they are interested to see something change so dramatically, from a bank which closed five years ago to a bar.”

Andy Grice has opened The Dark Horse on Ecclesall Road, a former bank which has been transformed with booths, a bar and kitchen

The pub offers local and unusual beers, as well as wines and a full cocktail menu with signature drinks such as a Japanese twist on the English classic Tom Collins, called Tomu Korinzu.

Andy added: “Craft ale is a big thing across the city and the nation and sometimes it might feel like that’s a little bit more for men. So what we’re trying to do here is make it a bit more open, cocktails are a big thing on our menu, wines, all locally sources as well.

“We’ve had a couple of reactions from ladies popping in saying they can see them bringing their friends and enjoying a bottle of wine – as much as the guys can.

"We just want to be a bar for everyone.”

A neon sign in the window of The Dark Horse promotes the food on offer from ‘renowned’ food trader Slap & Pickle, which also operates from the Heist Brewery Company in Neepsend.

Expect extravagant burgers with cool names such as the Mardy Bun featuring Henderson’s Relish and a vast selection of loaded fries, from a chicken Kiev theme to vegan duck fries.

How the inside of The Dark Horse looked before it was renovated. Picture Scott Merrylees

There is also a dedicated vegan and vegetarian burger section.

Andy said the team were ‘really excited’ to welcome Slap and Pickle to run their kitchen, which was a surprise announcement made today before the micropub opens to the public at 4pm.

The Dark Horse is located at 928 Ecclesall Road.

www.thestar.co.uk

An exciting new micropub on Ecclesall Road which has transformed a former Sheffield bank branch is opening today – and we’ve had a sneak preview.