In just under a month, The Psalter hopes to re-open its doors under the expert stewardship of award-winning restaurateur, Tom Lawson, following extensive and ongoing refurbishments.
Tom, who was part of the AA Rosette award-winning Rafters team, told Exposed he is aiming to open the restaurant and hotel on 15th August. Email booking and menus are now live, and online booking is to follow in the coming weeks.
Tom has taken a 10-year lease on the iconic Psalter Lane building, possibly making it the biggest fully independent hotel and restaurant in the city. His vision for the venue, much like his work at Rafters, centres on blending exceptional hospitality with high-quality dining.
However, the dining experience is set to be very different from Rafters, with a focus on a British sharing plates concept and an all-day dining menu, all while still retaining the quality that made Tom his name at Rafters.
Tom Lawson (right) with former Rafters co-owner Alistair Myers in 2021.
Tom explained: “The restaurant and bar area is going to be multi-faceted; it will be a coffee shop, private hire space, and a bar where you will be able to eat. We’ve also got the terrace outside which is 100 covers, and then we’ve got the restaurant that we’re putting in that’s brand new.
“The food offering and the concept is quite exciting, but there won’t be things on there that you don’t understand. For me, it’s breaking the shackles after 10 years at Rafters. Achieving three rosettes was amazing, but for me, cooking is about creating something to share. The whole reason I do it is because I get enjoyment from seeing other people enjoy what I do.
“We’ve got a 100-cover restaurant, if you include the bar, the restaurant, and the coffee shop, which is a big space, and the menu concept is going to be modern British sharing plates across all of it. Sort of like tapas, but not Spanish. Every food culture you look at has this form of sharing; whether it’s in Greece or China, it’s all about having little bits for sharing.
“I suppose in British culture, the closest we come is Sunday lunch, but aside from that, it doesn’t really exist in British culture, and I don’t understand why.”
View this post on Instagram
Tom tells us the inspiration for the British element of the menu can be found in the high-quality, seasonal British produce he intends to use. Whether it be Moss Valley bacon chop glazed in Sheffield honey, scrambled eggs with fresh truffle, or specially created Piper’s sausages and black pudding in their ‘Build Your Own Breakfast’ concept, or even his Mussels “A La Molly” prepared with Our Cow Molly cream and wild garlic, many of the ingredients and produce can be found right on our doorstep.
Sounds good, right?
“We are going to have influences from the rest of the world, and we don’t want to set tight rules on the guys in the kitchen.” says Tom, “If we want to use Japanese influences, we can. If we want to use some Indian influences, we can. The Britishness comes from using the best that we can get locally and from our shores.
“The food is going to be great, and it’s about keeping that Sheffield hospitality running throughout the business. Accessibility, affordability, and approachability are the key things that are really important to us.”
Of course, the Psalter is more than just a restaurant and also boasts 21 beautifully refurbished upstairs rooms. These rooms will be bookable separately from the restaurant, and you will have the option to add breakfast, drinks, or dinner to your stay.
Tom, therefore, won’t spend all his time in the newly extended and revamped kitchen space, and will take on a more overarching general management role across the site, which he has had experience with during the latter years of his time with Rafters at Riverside House.
The revitalisation of the Psalter is set to create 50 new jobs across various roles, including kitchen staff, front of house, housekeeping, reservations, and night porters.
Explaining why he decided to take on a project on such a grand scale, Tom said: “I’ve always been in and around this area, having grown up in S11. When this place closed, people were saying it needed someone like Rafters at Riverside House to come in. Maybe it was a bit of a vanity project, and at first, it was kind of tongue-in-cheek that I came to have a look.
“I was also ready for a new challenge. I love Rafters to pieces and it’s amazing what we built there. But, as we’re going through changing times in everybody’s lives, with the cost-of-living crisis, that pool is getting smaller and smaller, so it doesn’t always feel like you’re sharing that experience with people anymore.
“It becomes exclusive, and you go from a big pond into a little tiny pool, sometimes even a puddle. It has its place, and it’s great, but for me, I want to break those shackles and move into something that I can share with more people.”
“But then coming in and seeing it, it had a lot of money spent on it not that long ago, and the finish on the bathrooms and things like that was nice, but it was still a big project with a lot of work needed on the kitchen side of things.
When I looked at it, I was very clear on the vision and the direction I wanted to take. For me, it’s about putting a soul back into the place. I’m feeling really good about it. We’re really excited.
The Psalter is aiming to open on August 15th, but for updates, give them a follow on socials. Once fully open, the kitchen will serve guests all day from 7am right through until 9pm, with the bar open until 11 pm. Reservations can be made here.
