My problem with West Street

Written by Charlie Sweeney

If you ask anyone who lives in Sheffield, and is under the ages of 27 (or, sometimes, for whatever reason, over the age of 40) where they go on a night out, chances are they say West Street. That infamous road. That beacon of barbarity, that memorial to immorality. West Street is the whole of Sheffield’s nightlife encapsulated. It is a Saturday night. It is where students, Hallam and Uni of alike, are truly born. It is where you go to get pissed, to get bladdered, to get absolutely mortal. And it’s fine. It’s a bit naff, but we all know this. They might be some of the most feral places on earth, but who doesn’t love a £5 round?

But West Street is also, in my opinion, killing Sheffield’s night-time venues.

One of West Street’s best qualities is also, ironically, its worst. It is incredibly homogenised. One of the best things about Sheffield, and one of the things that makes it so attractive to students, young people, and general inebriates is its consistency and proximity. In one small stretch of road you now have 10 separate bars, as well as 2 pubs. You can easily stumble from place to place, practically without stepping foot outside. And each venue does basically the same thing. They all do cheap doubles, they all have a cheap pint of draught, they all have dodgy music, they all have a DJ with delusions of grandeur. This consistency, and this proximity, are highly attractive for most people on a night out; you know what you’re going to get. You don’t have to worry about the prices, or the music, or the general vibe. Everything is the same, in a weird sort of alcoholic-Starbucks way. Sure, the design of each place is slightly different: one is an Irish pub, one is an American dive bar, one is a fancy cocktail bar. But these are just licks of paint over the same generic visage. Bar at the side, toilet downstairs, music too loud. It is all the same. West Street takes uniqueness and blends it into a £6 cocktail served in a fishbowl.

Recently, it was announced that Code, the infamous nightclub, is closing down. And many people, many of whom I imagine may share a similar sentiment to this article, rejoiced. Amazing. Has anyone even had a good night there? I certainly haven’t.

But I am actually sad it’s closing.

Well, sad may not be the right word.

But I’m not that happy about it closing. Because, for all its faults, Code was at least different to the other main clubs in town. It wasn’t as indie or heavy as Corp, and it didn’t play half as much bassline or liquid as Tank. Surprisingly, for Sheffield at least, Code managed to be what most places on West Street could only dream of being. And that is unique.

West Street isn’t shit. West Street’s problem is that it’s all the same. People never specify where they are going as “West Street” is enough of an answer, because it is, for all intents and purposes, a singular entity. And that is a problem. Because when everywhere on West Street is already the same, it creates an expectation for any new place which opens up to conform to this same standard of blandness.

It really does seem like every cool and unique bar idea, when brought to West Street, is watered down and ‘Student’-ified, becoming – in my opinion – vapid and soulless places. For no other venue is this more relevant for, if you ask me, than Bloo88. A beautiful facade and cool interior, especially the amazing beer garden, is ruined by ear-drum-burstingly loud music and a club-like atmosphere which clearly does not suit the bar at all. Bloo88 could be West Street’s answer to the Washy, but it just comes across as a more expensive Waterworks, lacking any sort of atmosphere.

Despite what you might think from this article, I don’t hate West Street. I have had many decent nights there. It can be enjoyable. But it is boring. Horrifically boring. And I don’t see it getting better any time soon.

Sheffield nightlife needs something new and refreshing, and West Street should be where that happens. But because of the homogenising nature of it, any unique place is doomed to be bland. It is all well and good having Kelham Island be the cool, trendy place where the nice, pretentious bars are, but it’s miles away. Especially at night. Compare it to Manchester or Birmingham: their “trendy” areas, the Northern Quarter and Digbeth respectively, are near the city centre. West Street has the potential to be so much better than it is. So why are we content with it being some sort of VK Viaduct?

The problem with West Street – my problem with West Street – is that it is so mind-numbingly repetitive that I am convinced half the people who go to West Street are NPCs. Give us some new, interesting bars.

And please, for the love of god, stop putting your toilets downstairs.