I suspect you probably weren't the only one who stayed away for the same reasons. It's a great pity because I agree with what others have said: that Sheffield is a great airfield with a lovely runway and nice facilities - and the people are very friendly and helpful. In fact, Lynn had gone out and bought sandwiches to sell at cost price so that food was available.
I also think that if Sheffield is going to succeed as a GA airfield, it must drop the fax PPR requirement, and also the requirement for hi-vis jackets - neither of which were remotely necessary in my view. Personally, I think it's perfectly easy to fax your PPR (and it's only got to be done once for all time), and borrowing a hi-vis jacket wasn't hard - but the perceived complexity is what counts. Flying into EGSY couldn't be much easier, but if it gains an unfair reputation for being awkward then people won't go there.
Lynn said that the cafe will re-open some time, which is another essential ingredient for a GA airfield. It has the potential to be a cracking airfield if it succeeds - let's hope it doesn't turn into another "X" on our charts.