Memory, heritage, and the post steel city: Mediating the transformation of Sheffield since 1990

This chapter examines the transformation of Sheffield following the decline of its steel industry, focusing on the mediation of this transition by political, cultural, and industrial stakeholders. Since the 1980s, efforts to redefine Sheffield’s identity have oscillated between embracing its industrial heritage and rebranding it as a post-industrial, creative, and economically diverse city. Through three key case studies – the regeneration of the Lower Don Valley, the Sheffield One urban planning initiative, and the recent Heart of the City 2 project – the chapter explores how urban development, media representations, and public relations strategies have sought to reconcile Sheffield’s steelmaking past with a new civic identity. It highlights the tensions between economic redevelopment, historical memory, and the mythmaking processes that shape contemporary perceptions of the city. By analysing archival sources and promotional materials, the study reveals how Sheffield’s past has been alternately erased, revised, and celebrated to serve different agendas, ultimately contributing to an ongoing and contested negotiation of its post-steel identity.