Rutland Arms, Sheffield: Central

The Rutland was built in 1936 on the site of a previous pub. Plans from the time (Wm.Fenton, Architect, Sheffield for Duncan Gilmour and Co.) indicate that the footprint of the new pub moved about 10 m back, thus allowing the corner between Brown Street and Furnival Street to take up its current position. The new pub had a corner entrance, a vestibule leading into a public bar with a service bar. Before the Public Bar, on the right is a ‘Smoke Room,’ and on the left is a ‘Tap Room,’ both fronting onto the street. Upstairs is a club room. Off-sales were available from an entrance on Arundel Lane, behind the Service Bar (left rear). The remains of this entrance can still be seen under the current-day window which is to the right of the Off-sales window. To the right of the Smoke Room are both male and female lavatories.’ The fact that these are not situated outside is an indication of the relative importance of this new build.

1952 plans (J.Foster, Architect for Duncan Gilmour and Co.) show the opening out of the public bar and smoking room into a larger Lounge Hall. 1988 (L.B.Percival, Architect for Josuha Tetley and Son Ltd.) saw the lounge and tap room merged and the reconfiguration of the bar into its current position.

In addition to a considerable amount of Art Deco-style interior glasswork (installed in 1952) and the Off Sales window, the only remaining original Gilmour’s window, the Rutland has a very impressive tiled exterior. ‘DUNCAN GILMOUR & Co. LIMITED. RUTLAND ARMS.’