Unique wake venues in Sheffield

A wake is an informal event that traditionally takes place after a funeral service and cremation or burial. It’s usually an informal event that involves family and friends gathering to share memories and celebrate the life of their loved one.

Traditionally, wakes would take place at someone’s home, or a community centre or pub, but they can take place anywhere. The people organising the wake may want to honour their loved one by holding the wake at a place that was special to them, such as at the grounds of their favourite football team, for example. 

Also, although wakes usually take place directly after the funeral service, they can be held at any time. They can also be as structured or as informal as the organiser would like. Wake organisers have the freedom to host the event that’s right for them, their family and friends, and their loved one.

If you’re organising a wake in Sheffield, there are plenty of unique venues where you can host the event in your own way, from a cruise on the Sheffield & Tinsley canal with A&G Passenger Boats Ltd to a meal at Bramall Lane. 

Find your funeral director in Sheffield who will help you arrange a cremation or burial, and give you ideas for a wake, memorial or reception that's right for you.

Close to the city centre, Sheffield Botanical Gardens opened in 1836 and now spans across 19 acres. The gardens are listed by English Heritage as a Grade II site of special historic and architectural interest. The gardens are packed with intriguing features that are famous throughout Sheffield, including the Glass Pavilions. Grade 2 listed, these temperate pavilions house a gorgeous collection of plants from all over the world and provide a stunning backdrop to the sweeping lawns and central Broadwalk. The twisty-turvy paths take you through 18 different garden areas all themed by different geographical locations.

The Botanical Garden is also home to the Fossil Tree, a carefully preserved fossil of a Lepidodendron, a tree-like creature thought to be 312 million years old.

The Victorian Rose Garden would be the perfect, peaceful venue to remember your loved one, and the Botanical Gardens also have plenty of facilities to accommodate your guests. There are toilet facilities at the gardens, and while there is no parking inside of the gardens there is limited parking on the roads off Clarkehouse Road and near the Thompson Road entrance. There are also disabled parking spaces at the top of the Thompson Road entrance.

Cruising on the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, A&G Passenger Boats Ltd is a family company founded in 1996 and offers cruises for all occasions. Their vessel, the LB Hardfeet, is currently the only licensed hospitality vessel cruising along the Sheffield and Tinsley canal. The boat was built in 2008 and can accommodate up to 70 guests. 

The low-level windows provide marvellous views of the canal’s industrial past and the green, open spaces of the city. The vessel also has a small, well-stocked bar and a full kitchen that is fully equipped to deliver high-quality food and is wheelchair accessible. 

If the person who’s died has fond memories of walking along the canal or enjoying time travelling the waterways this could make a unique wake venue.

They can cater for smaller parties on their restaurant-style cruises, or festive 2-course meals when boarding the vessel during the winter period. This is perfect for a more intimate event, as the package caters for parties of 10 or more. The restaurant-style cruise is available all year and lasts for about 3 hours. They can be booked for Friday or Saturday evenings, and boarding starts at 7 pm to sail at 7:30 pm. 

Bespoke packages can also be arranged, if your requirements do not fit with certain packages. If the packages advertised are unsuitable you can contact their friendly and knowledgeable team for more options and get a custom quote.

Sheffield is home to one of the oldest and most renowned stadiums in England—Bramall Lane. But Bramall Lane does not just host football matches, they can cater for all occasions, including celebrating the life of your loved one. 

There is a wide variety of spaces to choose from that can accommodate as few as 2 guests to as many as 400 guests. The team can provide state-of-the-art presentation equipment and are flexible enough to arrange each room to fit your needs. A dedicated sales coordinator can assist in adding extra touches such as themes and lighting options. 

Bramall Lane also offers a Celebration of Life package that is designed to assist you in creating a unique wake. The team will be with you every step of the way as you plan, and like all of their packages, the Celebration of Life package includes the room hire fees, a cash bar facility, and tea and coffee facilities.

Their Platinum Suite is perfect for a larger event, accommodating up to 400 guests, while the Tony Currie Suite can accommodate up to 200 guests. For smaller events, the modern International Bar would be ideal, accommodating up to 100 guests, while the 1889 Suite can accommodate up to 90 guests. 

Or you can opt for a more bespoke event with canapes and arrival drinks, or a three-course banqueting menu created by their award-winning in-house culinary team who can accommodate any special dietary requirements.