The Flying Circus, Newark

As the name suggests The Flying Circus is Monty Python themed. The interior is unexceptional and feels more like a bar than a traditional boozer although the array of beers available and listed behind the bar on neon boards is impressive. Ten keg ales were listed with some stronger offers alongside various common and more unusual lagers. The cask offer consisted of Dark Star Hophead, Purple Moose Glaswyn Ale which was fine if unexceptional, Falstaff Well to Hell - a mild this being May and Flying Circus Best Bitter. Worth a visit especially if you're after a wide range of keg beers but less to go for on the cask front.

A good frontage with the pub extending back quite a long way on different levels.By the front door is the main seating area with a mix of furniture,while the bar runs along part of the left hand side,opposite which is a vertical drinking area in front of a small stage,it's very much a music pub.Around the back there is access to a first floor gallery overlooking one side of the stage. There are 4 handpumped ales ,with 10 craft keg beer taps dotted about,but with a very helpful screen above the bar listing the choice.Some of the keg beers were very pokey,and this is probably the pubs USP.Their ale choice was rather unexciting although my Purple Moose Glaslyn Ale was fine. I was in on a quiet lunchtime,I suspect the atmosphere could be more lively if a band was playing,and given the red hot ale competition in town,I'm not sure this pub would make the cut on an ale tour list,despite it's GBG listing.

Good pub. Fine choice of ales on both draft and keg. Worth a return if I'm in the area again.

When i first went in this pub it was called The Exchange,a free house that had Whitbread Trophey on the bar. The Flying Circus is situated next to a chip shop on the busy castle gate. Once inside there is a long oblong shaped room which runs to the rear,there are normal tables and chairs to the front and settees and small stools,the bar is on the mid left side which is up two steps,there are tall tables and chairs opposite the bar,there is a stage to the rear. There was a decent choice of real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Newark Norweigen Blue which was a decent drink,the other beers noted were Flying Circus Bitter,Totally Brewed papa Jangles Voodoo Stout and Acorn Flyer IPA. The background music was very good with Pink Floyd's Time playing. Live music of the rock type seems to be a big draw here. This is a proper pub and not a modern bar. Pub first visited 20/3/1983 Photo of Exchange taken 21/4/1987 Flying Circus visited 6/8/2016

Official site of The Flying Circus - www.flyingcircuspub.com

A two storey pub with as the name suggests Monty Python decor. There are photos of the comedy team, Terry Gilliam cartoons and some of their favourite sketches. Otherwise it's a modern bar with a choice of four averagely kept beers and three ciders on the pulls plus a decent offering in the fridge.

Official site of The Flying Circus - www.flyingcircuspub.com