Lower Don Valley Live Cam

Sheffield is the leisure capital of its region, with some of the world's best concert, live music and entertainment venues, the largest theatres complex outside London, 20 nightclubs, over 50 cinema screens, and a superb year-round programme of events. To find out what's on, look out for the Sheffield Telegraph, every Friday, which contains an excellent and fairly comprehensive listings pull out, and the daily Star gives details on a day-by-day basis

Whether you want a cosy eatery for a tasty shopping pit-stop or a romantic bistro where you can watch the world go by over a leisurely cappuccino, or even a good restaurant with plenty of atmosphere, Sheffield has it all. There are hundreds of outlets, in a huge choice of styles. In this guide, we don't have room even to begin to do justice to the choice; so we'll just tell you that the greatest concentration of eating places are on Ecclesall Road, on Abbeydale Road, and in the city centre and Broomhill.

Shopping in Sheffield is an experience to savour. And the Sheffield difference is the contrast from major High Street stores to the more specialised shopping areas which cater for alternative tastes. Between them, Meadowhall (one of the biggest and most popular shopping malls in the UK) and Sheffield city centre have a bewildering variety of shops and services.

City centre - An extensive re-building and redevelopment programme called Heart of the City is currently underway, which will see an extensive transformation by the 21st century - featuring a new art gallery, a winter garden, a luxury hotel, three public squares and major commercial developments. All the major High Street store names, along with exclusive independent shops are represented, and Sheffield has distinct city central shopping areas.

The Moor - This long pedestrianised street, has a pick and mix variety of small retail outlets, medium sized shops, and major department stores running on either side of a wide tree lined precinct. There is also the hustle and bustle of well organised market stalls, a children's play area, a bandstand and seating areas.

Fargate - A popular and recently redeveloped pedestrian shopping area offering mainly High Street chains with an emphasis on fashion stores.

Orchard Square - Charming award-winning courtyard, where visitors can wander in a more peaceful environment. It offers an appealing blend of quality independent stores and popular craft workshops. The focal point is a continental style chiming clock, a reminder of Sheffield's cutlery heritage.

Castlegate Market - Traditional indoor and outdoor marketplace, renowned for its outstanding food hall, unrivalled bargains and specialising in bric-a-brac and second hand goods. Currently undergoing extensive changes in an ambitious full-scale redevelopment of the markets complex, due to be completed in late 2000. For shoppers who want something more than the High Street names, shopping in Sheffield city centre couldn't be better.

The Devonshire Quarter - A vibrant shopping and leisure district, offering an intriguing mix of shops and open-all-hours cafe-bars, which brings colour and bustle into a coherent shopping and eating out area west of the City Hall. This area oozes with artistic flair and is rightly proud of its trendy, upbeat image, offering fashion conscious shoppers designer labels, furnishings and ornaments for the nineties house.

The Forum - An arty indoor emporium with 25 shops and stalls on two floors, has all the essentials and more-selling everything from designer DM's to pop art prints. It also incorporates one of Sheffield's trendiest cafe-bars, all under one roof in a converted factory.

To the south and within easy reach of the city centre Ecclesall Road is a thoroughfare like no other, with many parts of the road tree-lined, it is the golden mile of Sheffield shopping with a wide variety of quality specialist shops selling furnishings, gifts, clothes, prints, antiques etc.

Also to the south, Abbeydale Road is well known to bargain-hunters for its antique and bric-a-brac shops, and it too has a number of restaurants.

Meadowhall - A gigantic leisure shopping centre with more than 270 shops, Meadowhall attracts 30 million visitors a year. It's probably Europe's most successful mall. Features include an 11 screen Warner Village cinema, the Oasis Mediterranean-style food court with a giant video wall, and The Lanes, an avenue of specialist and crafts shops offering visitors the chance to search for that something a little bit different, selling everything from designer fragrances, silver jewellery and harmonicas, to limited edition framed prints and furniture.

Crystal Peaks - An award-winning shopping and leisure centre with more than 60 high street shops, over 100 indoor market stalls, with an enviable reputation for choice, variety and value for money, a 10 screen cinema, a pub and a selection of food outlets. It has been described as perhaps the biggest "Corner Shop" in Sheffield, with its unique community-like atmosphere.

Transport Information - Getting Here

By Car - M1 and M18 both within 10 minutes drive of the city centre. A1 and M62 within 30 minutes.

By Coach - Regular services by National Express from all parts of the country and there is and Airlink coach providing a direct link from London's Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.

By Train - Inter-city trains link London St. Pancras to Sheffield approximately hourly - journey times average 2hrs. 20mins. Frequent inter-city services from the south-west and north-east with some through trains from Edinburgh. Fast and frequent service from Manchester International Airport.

Sheffield City Airport is the UK's newest purpose built airport and has been specifically designed and purpose built with the business passenger in mind. The Airport is ideally located with the region's main motorway links and the main line railway stations are within 10 minutes drive of the terminal. With the express 10 minute check-in, Sheffield City Airport offers speed, convenience and reliable scheduled services to Europe and onward's to the rest of the world.

By Air - Sheffield City Airport is served by scheduled flights from Belfast and Dublin. Direct flights from Brussels to be followed later in the year by flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Paris.

Supertam - 3 routes link the City Centre with key attractions like Meadowhall, Sheffield Arena, Don Valley Stadium, Hillsborough Stadium, the Universities and rail station.

Buses - Frequent services throughout the city and regular services to nearby towns and into the Peak District National Park. Sheffield Transport Interchange is right in the city centre opposite the rail station.

Sheffield offers all you need from a conference destination. It has a wide choice of venues and accommodation at competitive prices, excellent access and a selection of attractions and leisure activities to enjoy. More people are discovering that Sheffield is a great place to visit and the ideal location to do business. Of course, an excellent city, with some of the best and most varied conference facilities in the country, needs excellent back-up services - and that's just what you will get.

Why choose Sheffield? Sheffield is highly rated in the things that matter

Sheffield is a priority location: Situated in the centre of Britain with excellent links by road and rail. Its own airport, which provides a convenient airlink to Europe.

Sheffield is at the centre of educational excellence: With two of the country's leading universities. Europe's largest further education college. 80,000 students play a big part in the city's vitality and excitement

Sheffield is Britain's first National City of Sport: Chosen as one of the main regional centres for the UK Sports Institute. It has Britain's best array of international sports venues. Sheffield Ski Village is Europe's largest artificial ski resort

Sheffield is England's greenest city: Over a third of the city lies within the Peak District National Park. With over 50 parks and surrounded by beautiful woodlands and open countryside.

Sheffield is the leisure and entertainment capital of its region: It boasts one of the best nightlife and club scenes in the country. All the big names in rock and pop perform in the city's main concert venues. There's the famous Crucible Theatre and beautifully restored Lyceum Theatre. It's a shopper's paradise, including Meadowhall, The Forum and Orchard Square. 100s of pubs and a growing number of bistros, café bars and restaurants. Wide choice of art galleries, museums, and heritage sites. Opening soon is the magnificent Millennium Galleries, exhibiting collections from the V&A.