Owners are currently putting in the hard yards to transform the former home of Starlight Kitchens, on Abbeydale Road, into Over the Yardarm, a new cocktail bar with a European-style vibe.
The new venue is hoping to be open this summer, in time to make use of its 24-seater sun terrace and huge sliding doors, which open out onto the terrace, explains co-owner Alfie Chester, who is opening the bar with his dad, Andrew.
He added: “I’ve always really loved drinking in places like Seville and Barcelona with that sort of on-street, off-street, indoor, outdoor vibe that you get with those tiny little places. Where everyone just spreads out into the street and drinks out there. It’s a really sociable, very European sort of style of drinking.”
Work is currently ongoing to ready the bar for a summer opening
The bar takes its name from the traditional nautical saying ‘sun is over the yardarm’, which indicates it’s time for a morning drink, but Alfie is quick to point out the bar will not be nautical-themed.
He said: “The name, Over The Yard Arm, to me just means it’s time for a drink, it’s time for the first drink of the day, the start the weekend and time to come down to the bar and meet your friends. We don’t want people to think it’s nautical themed though.
“The initial idea was to create a great place for friends to meet, basically. I’ve always loved Abbeydale Road and always drank down here. It’s something we want to be part of, and we want to find our own niche within it. There’s already great independents in the area and we hope to add to that and find our own spot.”
Over the Yardarm co-owner Alfie Chester
The new bar will be split over two floors, offering a new vantage on Abbeydale Road from the top floor cocktail lounge area, focusing on a combination of classic cocktails and their own signature drinks, utilising Alfie’s experience working in many of the city’s leading bars.
They will also offer eight craft beer lines, which will inevitably, being just a barrel roll away, include Abbeydale Brewery, alongside a range of popular breweries and modern wines. Food-wise, there will be a focus on ‘food to eat while you drink’, with sharing platters and bar snacks all prepared in their in-house kitchen.
The soundtrack will be heavily 70s-influenced, with chilled vibes in the day and plenty of funk and soul in the evenings. Opening from 11am – 11pm Wednesday to Sunday, during the day there will also be a big emphasis on cakes and bakes.
Alfie has long held ambitions of opening his own bar and has gained plenty of experience working in a variety of hospitality rolls for big players in the Sheffield bar scene, including The Rockingham Group (Public, Picture House, Gatsby) and True North (Broadfield, Forum, Old House etc.).
“I’ve worked pretty much every job in hospitality; from pot-wash to front of house, even the odd bit of chopping vegetables in everything from fine dining establishment, to busy cocktail bars and classic pubs.
“Quality service is one of the things that’s most important to me. We’re very people orientated. We want to make people feel welcome and create a great space for people to meet their friends.
“I’m feeling a bit nervous, as this is a new thing for me, but I’m feeling good about it, yeah.”
Over The Yardarm is hoping to be open by mid-summer.
