‘You can feel it’: South Yorkshire revival gathers pace as new industries move in

From steel to screen, podcasts to defence, Sheffield’s economy is diversifying amid a wave of new investment It has seen its fair share of Hollywood parties – albeit with a twist. Instead of champagne and caviar it is usually Guinness and scampi fries. Red carpet? There aren’t even cushions on the seats. The tiny Sheffield pub, Fagan’s, has raised more than a few toasts in the last year as Adolescence, the Netflix hit made by two of its owners, scooped multiple awards at the Emmys and Golden Globes and became one of the world’s most-watched dramas. A year after the drama’s release, Sheffield appears to be basking in a newfound confidence. “It feels like we’re on the cusp of something really exciting,” said Niall Shamma, the chief operating officer of Warp Films, the production company behind Adolescence. Shamma is not the only one excited. The former steel city is now home to the UK’s biggest podcast festival, Crossed Wires, as well as the genre’s leading independent producer, Persephonica, which makes Lily Allen’s show with Miquita Oliver, Political Currency with Ed Balls and George Osborne, and launched The News Agents with Emily Maitlis. Dino Sofos, the f